halfway through summer

Another Saturday at the Brickwork Farmers Market.

 People are starting to get to know where I am now and I have several repeat customers.

 This bubbly duo with their camera shy colleague had a grand old time with the vintage scarves. I  take  about 50 - 60 with me to market and I think they tried on every one. Their boyfriends became bored and wandered off.

  A 50s apron was just the ticket for this happy customer. How modern and fresh she looks wearing it.

Now I am off to the cottage for a couple of days, taking a quilt or two with me to mend.

She's here!

 My, how you have grown.
My youngest granddaughter arriving from England for the summer. I think it was 14 degrees when she left the UK and 38 degrees as she arrived. I had not seen her for a year so we have a lot of catching up to do.

Life goes on as usual.....another blanket label for my collection. This Hudson Bay point blanket was made in 2000, I believe the last mill in Whitney closed  about 2002 . It sold right away at the Brickworks Farmers Market last week.
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 I am still playing with my unusual space. I like this side of the 'racks' better, but it is not always available.

Its useful to take photographs, that way you see the glaring display mistakes.
 Peeking over the top, at the other side of the laneway is Bernard, who runs ShelfLife. He is a terrific artisan who works with salvaged and reclaimed wood, as well as being a great help and support to me ....more about ShelfLife on another post later,  in the meantime click on Bernard's links.

a bumper crop

A bumper crop of red currants this year

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 R has gone mad with his new ice cream maker, we have liters and liters of red currant sorbet in the freezer.

 I stick with my 80 year old sieve, bought at a church rummage (jumble) sale many decades ago. Surprisingly the berries yielded a sparse amount of juice, I suppose because it has been so dry. (eat your heart out Brits).

 I managed to get this .... my special red currant jelly, must say it is excellent. I could make another batch if I find the time. There are still lots on the vine, I love them in a tabbouleh.

For the past month we have been gathering a big bowl of raspberries every morning......more sorbet, by now we are begging yogurt containers from the neighbors. I am beginning to look like a raspberry as I eat so many. 

Alas the end is in sight here.

Black currants, white currants and gooseberries in lesser amounts to come.

remembering Elizabeth

My good friend  and neighbor Judith gave me a collection of her mothers scarves. Elizabeth died last year.

Although I only met Elizabeth a dozen or so times over 20 years  I felt that I got to know her a little bit better as I went through her collection. She was ever the fashion plate and always immaculately turned out.

 Here is my very favorite, a delicate Liberty silk scarf, perhaps from the 70s , pearly grey, with a summery, country hedgerow pattern. I shall always remember her whenever I wear it.

 Another couple of Liberty scarves, the pink one has no label/logo, but I am 80% sure it is Liberty.
 (unlike these when I was 99% sure)

 Of course, the scarf does not have to be made for Liberty to be sold at the store. Here, an elegant, understated 'chain' motif, made in Italy.

I have always wished that I have kept the Richard Allen scarves that have come my way. I believe they were a division of Jacqmar.
What would my blog be without an almost weekly scarf post?

M

Wool blankets...in the summer.

Summer is the right time for picking up lots of lovely old blankets with interesting labels. No one but me seems to be interested when it is in the high 40s outside.

More for my collection of photos, but the blankets will be joining me at markets soon.

I have many Ayers wool blankets, but not this particular one.  ' Cameltone', indeed it is just that colour.

 Another great 'Brant Forde' . Got to love the weaving of the mills belching smoke and perhaps some locals fording the The Grand River.

 Kenwood  Mills is well known to Canadians,  sold at Eatons department stores, this rectangle label is a first for me. Super celadon green, a few moth 'nibbles'....straight into the freezer with it.

Finally, a 'Health Blanket' (presumably so you would not freeze to death in the night) from Holland. Two cute Dutch sheep peeking out. Not surprisingly this was bought near the Holland Marsh, Ontario.

this weekend

Saturday was market day at the Brickworks.

 

 Thankfully the dreadful humidity broke and we were treated to a dramatic downpour at about 9am.  The noise on the overhead industrial covered roof was deafening. But it only lasted about 20 minutes, not enough to do our poor parched land a lot of good.

view from  The Terrace.

 I arrived home to find some of our roses had completely toppled over. Hmm, not sure what I am going to do about this.

 Sunday morning we pushed off to our cabin, some guests had arrived before us, they were not too happy and made all kinds of threatening gestures.

This week I plan to tackle this 1940s 'log cabin'.  . I'll let you know how it turns out.

scarf stories

As usual there is lots of action on the vintage scarf front in our house.

 My blog buddy Gina, in Australia has been sending me scarves she picks up for a while now. The latest selection arrived this week...I specially like the rust and olive geometric. It was so hot here that day, over 40 degrees, that I could barely handle them out of the envelope.

  The last lot she sent came to me in New Zealand. The parcel included this old London souvenir, possibly from the 50s, or even earlier. I listed it in my scarf shop on etsy and to our delight it was bought by a buyer for Cath Kidston no less.  What a life that scarf has had...London to Australia to New Zealand to Canada and home again.
I am always chuffed when a known  name buys or comments on my blog.

And...the thrifts tipped up another Hermes this week. Quite dirty, I won't risk washing it as Hermes always run. Actually this one is a bit too 'flashy' for me. I have done quite well on Hermes this spring, more for my collection.http://www.flickr.com/photos/fabriquefantastique/sets/72157623728766837/
No idea why this linky thing is acting up!

Another Saturday morning

Saturday morning means the Brickworks Farmers Market for me.

 Still working on my quirky space.
  Ezra, who runs Chez Vous bought  my breakfast to me personally!!  Its  just about my favorite meal of the week.

 Dan Gallagher set up next to me, demonstrating some of his techniques. He nearly sold out of these smashing trugs that he makes.  He also bought along this wonderful courting chair and an ever so comfortable Windsor chair.

 This week I was able to have a quick whizz around the farmers at the other end of the Pavillion.

  A wee plan for my site. I am inviting the public for a 'show and tell' each week.
This is what I have come up with so far.

Textiles on the Terrace Show and Tell....9-10 am  (before I get tired and before music starts)

July 7th

Quilts.....Old and new. Bring in your family heirlooms or something you have made. Perhaps a work in progress, even a block. 

July 14th

Blankets......Do you have a blanket you love from anywhere in the world. Are you a weaver? Lets look at old labels and talk about what you consider a blanket to be.

July 21st

 Vintage Scarves....an ideal textile to collect. Relatively cheap, infinite variety and  easy to store. Wear your favorite.

July 28th

Sweaters and knitting.....Do you have a sweater from the Fair Isles, Scandinavia or Nova Scotia? Mittens from Estonia perhaps. Bring your knitting along too. We can even have a yarn/pattern swap. Vintage knitting patterns anyone?

What do you think? Any suggestions more than welcome.