I have been hunting down a particular Ladybird book for YEARS. Yes I could have bought it on ebay or Amazon but I wanted to feel that excitement of finding it myself in a cherry tree shop.
And on Monday I did.
I may have let out a little squeal actually. Or a couple.
It was the equivalent of finding the posh handbag/shoes/coat/hat of your dreams in the sales. Oh I was thrilled. The cover design is slightly different to the one I had as a kid, but the illustrations are exactly the same!
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| Is the frog eating Camembert? |
The bit that cracks me up is this:
Yes that's right, you open the front door, find a massive frog, go and tell your Dad in the hope he will remove said frog, but instead, he enquires "What does the frog want with you?" as if this kind of thing happens all the time and the frog may actually want to talk to you. Which of course it does. And eat with you, and sleep with you. But that's not the point.
This takes my vintage Ladybird book collection to 123. Yes, that many. Count them if you will.
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| Oh my dear boy. He has grown so much since this pic was taken |
All of these Ladybirds have been purchased from cherry tree shops. It's taken me five years.
After a delightful couple of hours shopping with Sarah, we went to my favourite cafe by the tea. We were "forced" (such a shame) to share a table with a windsurfer but he made a swift exit after I sat down....maybe he thought I was chatting him up. Of course that's an absurd thought...
Still, we sat there and enjoyed the view from our cosy corner...
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| Little dots of fit men. The sea looked freeeeeeezing, they looked hot... |
Other things to have happened in the past week? The Princess turned 9.
We threw her a brilliant party in my other favourite cafe near the sea. The cafe is veggie/vegan (yet I am a big meat eater) and is decked out with chintzy crockery, metal signs, tongue and groove walls and big comfy sofas. The lady who runs it is an absolute star and is one of the first people I met when we moved here.
The party involved pizza making, tattoos, a disco, Pass the Parcel, Pin the Tail on the donkey and a fab party tea.
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| 30p from the Scope cherry tree shop |
I made what I thought were disastrous cupcakes but everyone seemed to love them (perhaps I am too much of a perfectionist but I was ready to bin them).
I made them for the Princess and they are my first ever cupcakes! I tend to eat them, not bake them!
I faffed about with making pastel-coloured sugar too. E's are good, e's are good........
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| The only way I could think of storing them separately! |
The day after her party, the Princess ran the cross country race. She came 12th out of 110 pupils from a variety of schools. We were bursting with pride. What a star.
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| And they're off (at 9.30am Sat morning....yikes) |
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| Here she comes, a total blur in blue! |
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| £1.99 Store 21......hurry!!! |
8 comments:
GOOD EVENING GEM! You know, I just love to sit with you and "chat it up" as I believe you say out there! I honestly feel as if you are talking to me. I enjoy your finds so much and I LOVE YOUR COLLECTION! Yes, I agree that that frog is quite a character, and so is the dad, as to think it so normal that the frog is talking! But isn't that what we want when we open such a charming little book!
Your sea excursions are always a delight from the FIT MEN to the tea time and cafe romps. Your darling girl is a star indeed and I was just trying to envision the prince as a teenager...oh my, I hope you will continue to blog to that point and beyond, for I want to know what comes of this blue-eyed wonder!!!!!
My dear, tomorrow is our Thanksgiving and I am filled with gratitude to have made connections around the world with people like you who I enjoy so much. HUGS to you in the spirit of LOVE! Anita
Oh Ladybird books - got to love them - not sure how many I have now but rather a lot! One day a copy of Cinderella will appear for me!!
Well done to the Princess on her running achievement :)
Hi Gem, I would love to come round and chat and have a cupcake or two ... they look delicious! You must have been really proud of your daughter, and looks like she had a fab party, Happy Belated Birthday! Lucky you, finding all those Ladybird books, I can honestly say, I have never found 1! Must go and get ready, am off to Store 21 before all the buckets sell out!!
Have a Thrifty Thursday ...
Love Claire
The cupcakes look fabulous to me! Well done to your daughter on the cross country, that's a super result, and a belated happy birthday to her too!
Good morning dearest Gem! How wonderful of your to come back and give me such kind feedback. I do enjoy making a sort of "magazine" effect on my blog with new headers and themes. I had always wanted to be a writer for a cool décor magazine!
Our Thanksgiving is fabulous. The tradition is roasted turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, LOTS of biscuits (rolls) and cranberry sauce. But CHEZ MOI, given that my husband and I are both of LATIN origin, we put a little FLAVOR into our meal. I actually combine French cuisine with Latino style turkey. I learned how to marinate my bird from my father in law who is one of the best cooks ever. We have roasted red potatoes with mushrooms and lots of olive oil (very Spanish) and it is pure delight. When I entertain a lot of people, I wear my little black dress with pearls ( I so love to depict the glamorous ladies of the 60s!) while I wear a fancy apron! BUT THIS YEAR, it is just me and the husband. So I will be wearing my PYJAMAS!!!!!!!
We say grace and thank GOD for every blessing under the sun. YOU ALL are the biggest blessing I have had, for creativity and support has never been so abundant since making concerted efforts to express and create for a world-wide audience.
Enjoy YOUR evening as you sit back and watch your children, your husband and the beautiful life you have created. Anita
so jealous have been searching for that exact book too and the princess and the pea too.
So far, I've not found the proper ladybird one like yours that I had as a kid.
i often think I too should blog about my 'cherry tree' finds (my little son has always called them (cheritty shop) as lately I got so many rididiculously cheap bargains! I often like looking at your finds! thanks for sharing!
I love your posts, I really do. The cup cakes were ace, the party amazing and well done to the Princess.
When I think of all the Ladybird books I sent to the charity shops and now have grandchildren I could weep, but then I think of people like you and - smile.
Oh, I'm late so very, very late to wish the Princess a big Happy Birthday. Yumm cupcakes, a winner in the family, scored in the book dept.....AND a windsurfer to boot, what a week :)
xx Sandi
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