Small treasures

I love browsing flea markets and second hand stores. Most of the time I am not interested in anything special. I just really enjoy looking at all those things that once were cherished  by someone. But sometimes I come across something I like so much I just have to get it. Or because my husband fells in love with it, as in the case of this little candle holder.

I think he secretly dreams of a situation where we lose power and he will lead the way around the
house carrying this with a burning candle stick - just like in the good, old 18th century. 

I have been looking for an ice bucket. I want one that at least looks like it is mid-century, made of crystal and with a square pattern. I haven't found the ice bucket yet, but at the market in Covent Garden I found the perfect ice tongs.

Look at the chicken feet! 

I  have no clue what kind of style it is, or when they were made. There's no stamp on them to help me identify them. I'm just happy I found them and that they now are cherished by me the way they (hopefully) were cherished by their previous owner.

Now all I have to do is to find the ice bucket to go with them. Any tip on where I should look?  

Make-do and Mend

I spent a few, intense days in London this summer. 3 days filled with sightseeing and a little bit of shopping. Among others, I visited Churchill War Rooms. The place is like frozen in time - the rooms look the same as they did when the war ended in 1945.

I bought this poster in their excellent museum shop. Clothing rationing was introduced in June 1941 in Britain, and this was part of a campaign to offer innovative ways of making the best of people's clothes. 

I do my fair share of shopping (with a special weakness for shoes), but there is something very appealing with the re-use and mending of old items. Which made me totally fall in love with this little doily I found at the market in Covent Garden. 

You never see this any more! Someone carefully mended this little doily instead of throwing it away. I wonder who this person was, but I imagine that after making the beautiful laces around the doily, the owner did not want to throw away the doily. 

I have no idea yet as to what to do with the little doily, so if anyone has a suggestion, I am open minded!