It’s only Camila Prada but I like it…

Meet Camila Prada:

One of my friends introduced me to this lady on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/CamilaPradaFanPage?fref=photo) and I was instantly smitten with her characterful ceramics.

Camila has won many awards for her ceramics that she hand makes in the UK. She is passionate about her work and about keeping it all in house. I love to see phrases like ‘sweatshop free’ and ‘British heritage manufacturing’ on her website. it makes me glad to see someone keeping alive the tradition of ceramics that once made Britain great. Clappison would be proud.

I was drawn to the cute characters and the vaguely 70s motifs that Camila uses and I immediately demanded, I mean requested, a Camila original from the Dr for my birthday. We had a few postal hiccups (not Camila’s fault) along the way but she was great at communicating and I finally got my cup and tray.

I was most pleased with my new buddy and found lots of uses for her!

I think Camila’s designs could work in a contemporary or a retro inspired home and I definitely intend to test that theory by purchasing more of her designs. In fact – and in some ways I don’t want to share this with you in case you get in before I do –  tomorrow she’s holding a seconds sale from 9am. I will be sitting at my laptop with my credit card poised! The Mid Century Modern inspired living room I dream of needs a little Panda nestling on the bookshelf.

It is with panda-envy I say:

It’s only vintage but I like it!

It’s only a Milk Bottle but I like it…

I know I have mentioned sister-in-law-to-be Elin on my blog before. She helped me review the Bourbon Biscuit Chocolate Spread but declined to be photographed.

So I spied this photo of her and some friends (Elin on the right) on Facebook sometime in the New Year and immediately posted on it how amazing it looked and how I loved those vintage milk bottles and she must take me there. Because I am like that. I am wont to enthuse madly and make demands of people. It’s what I do. And milkshake served in a vintage bottle – what’s not to like?

As a child we lived way to far out in the sticks to be visited by a milkman. He’d have had to navigate several fields, a dirt track, a hill and some straggly sheep. Wales is just like that. I do however, remember my Auntie who lived in a nearby village getting milk and orange juice from the milk man. I used to pass the full ( or empty, depending on the time of day) bottles as I crossed her threshold. I loved the adverts, the colours and designs. They’re very evocative of childhood as I remember the products and advertising campaigns vividly.

A few years ago I discovered someone on eBay selling lots of them and, feeling too guilty to buy myself one, I purchased one for my then squeeze. It was dropped by said beau less that 24 hrs later on our front step where it smashed to smithereens. They do say there’s a reason why each past partner is now an ex (it’s not actually the milk bottle but I still wonder if it was a contributing factor…).

So imagine my surprise when, I opened an unexpected package to find this bad boy.

What a little stunner! Sister-in-law-to-be-Elin had taken note of my demands and purchased my bottle. I feel the beginnings of a collection coming on.

It is with a yearning for eBay I say:
It’s only vintage but I like it…

It’s only a Charity Shop but I like it…

Had a quick whizz around the Southampton town centre shops today and was very pleased with my finds.

This large vacuum flask was in great condition and I love the little Good Housekeeping Institute logo! I nearly put it back on the shelf due to lack of space in my kitchen but it’s exactly the kind of thing I scour charity shops trying to find so walking away without it would have been a travesty!

I also spied this Meakin serving dish. I do love these patterns! This china was so prevalent in the homes of my Mum’s friends when I was growing up it makes me feel cosy.

It is with a one-bed-flat bulging at the seams I say:
It’s only vintage but I like it!