Pretty-pretty

Well now, todays offering from the Attic is this charming, captivating, pretty-pretty piece of jewelery that I scooped up yesterday from my favourite charity/thrift shop (British Heart Foundation).
Now this may sound odd, but I originally went in the shop to buy a multi-stranded necklace of little round orange wooden beads. I am not intending to wear an orange multi-stranded wooden beaded necklace you understand. Oh no no no, what I have done is to chop it with scissors and free the little orange beads from their strands so that I can make them into bird feet. Yes, thats right :: bird feet. You see I am in my usual nutty place, thinking up all sorts of weird and wonderful things to do with my afternoons. I have been making birds. Little fabric birds with stripy legs and (now) orange beady feet. Too cute. Will show you them when they are finished.

So whilst I was paying for my orange multi-stranded wooden beaded necklace, whilst I was standing at the glass counter waiting for the rather dippy BHF shop assistant to void all the mistakes she kept making on the till, I spotted this little porcelain brooch in the glass cabinet.
And I fell in love. I just swooned on the spot. I asked the dippy shop assistant if she wouldn't mind getting it out and telling me how much it was, and it was £3.25. So of course I had to have it.

Isn't it just the most delightful little brooch you ever laid eyes on? It's only small, oo maybe about 4cm across, and quite delicate, but something about it stirs up some sort of deep, long forgotten, childhood nostalgic memory/feeling that I can't quite put my finger on. And I love it. I'm not sure yet if I shall wear it, or whether I will display it in my bedroom somewhere somehow. And I would love to know if anyone else collects these brooches and if you know anything about them, ie how old they are? This one is a Crown Staffordshire one, I found a little bit of info here, but would especially like to know roughly how old it might be.

Just before I leave the Attic (and it's bloomin cold up here this afternoon), I'd like to say *thank you* to all of you who left a comment on yesterdays post and shared in my rather ecstatic yarn love. Oh such fun, such excitement! I began on my blanket last night and ooooeeeeee I am incredibly pleased with the whole darn thing. The yarn is a dream to work with, the colours scrumptious, and I cannot wait to share my vision with you all. Tomorrow then? The Blanket Project Reveal?? See you then ((squeeeeeal)) SoosSOSososoOSOsooo excited!
xx

Comments

[kitschen pink]

AHA! China flowers - Oh I love china flowers! So kitsch. I have a large collection and many I have inherited. Some 19thC and most 20thC. If you visit the potteries you can still get them! They're a so and so to clean and dust - I use a soft paint brush!

[elizabeth of course]

Okay, I realized what it reminds me of! These sweet little things in the new Anthropologie catalog!
http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=873204&navAction=jump&search=true&parentid=SEARCH_RESULTS

[Cat]

What a pretty posy! My grandmother used to have brooches like that - who knows where they ended up. Thank you for popping over to my blog and leaving such a lovely comment. Can't wait to see the blanket project and bird feet... Cat x

[kathy]

Hi Lucy, I found one of those today too! From a charity shop, yeah!! I have a few of them and have been collecting them for an age - they also come as earrings too. I love, love, love them - your one is v. pretty too. I think I should blog about them, yeah, I think I will do that today. Kathyx

[Julie]

What a delightful little brooch. I can just see it nestling on the Boden coat, next to the crochet scarf. I think they (and you) would look fabulous together.

Am sitting on my hands waiting for both the bird and the blanket reveals. Note to self, must not check the computer every two minutes. Must not...

[Linda]

Oh Lucy, you've reminded me about the brooches. I have a few which I put in a safe place (hope I remember where). They belonged to my late Mum-in-law. She was Polish but came to England after the war, and loved to browse thrift shops...an inexpensive way to aquire ornaments. My grandma and aunts used to wear them too.
Off to have a look. What an interesting Friday post!

[Emma]

Hi. I read your blog regularly, but not been brave enought to comment before. I have two of those brooches, one sadly missing a flower, which were given to me by my grandmother and an elderly cousin about 20 years ago. I don't remember them wearing them then. Its a pity they aren't at my house, or I'd be checking this evening for any makers names.

[Vallen]

I'm so impressed and incredibly inspired by your lovely blog. I've dug through all my yarn and am already eight granny squares into a pillow. Thanks.

[Lace hearts]

I am absolutely green with envy. I've been collecting for some time, but never or rarely find them unchipped. I have a project in mind. But my love for these china flowers dates back to my mum bringing them home chipped from work when I was a child(she worked in a china department). They were handmade and handpainted, and they sometimes had the girls from the factory come in to give demonstrations. I've got some un-kilned flowers somewhere that one of the women once gave me after her demonstration. Safely in a box ever since! And now don't know exactly where they are! LOL. I've got some Coalport brooches and a couple of Aynsley posies. Fab things, they really are. x
ps. fab wool as well!

[Nicola]

It's a beautiful brooch....what a bargain too!

[LittleGem]

Hi Lucy,
Yes I took the plunge, I think I was spurred on by your Flickr comment actually but thankyou for visiting! Your brooch is gorgeous, I have never seen any like that in real life but I have in blogland - it is very pretty I wonder what you are going to do with it. I am really inspired by your photos at the moment - must try to capture some of that cheerfulness in my own images! Will pop back tomorrow to see the blanket unveiling! X Gem

[Deb]

Your squeal at the end made me chuckle!

Love the brooch and the sound of all your projects. Where do you find the time?

I am a hopeless charity shop shopper, can never find anything half as nice as everyone else can....and ours are expensive too. That BHF shop sounds like a veritable Aladdins cave!

[Bee]

Hi..I worked in a large old fashioned dept store in the late 80's mid 90's and we sold brooches like these...earrings too..I had some little primrose earrings. Beautiful.

[Patricia]

Hello Lucy! What a gorgeous blog you have created, I am VERY impressed! I greatly enjoy having a look into your world. I have seen some pictures of flowers that are truly captivating. Yes, like it all and I like it lots! I find it a real shame that every time I see you in the cafe I am working, as I would love to have a natter with you as well! Perhaps another time? It looks like we like similar things, and I moved into the area only recently as well.Drop me a line if you like! Have a lovely evening/day! Love, Patricia (the Dutch girl)

[Katy]

I don't know about the brooches, but my Nan collected the posie bowls like this and has them from way back when she was first married (war time?) to reasonably recently. Now I have a few of them on my dresser in my bedroom. I love them - husband loathes them for being too cottage chintz. What does he know, eh?!

[elizabeth of course]

it's so sweet an delicate and perfect. What a great find. I would be afraid to wear it to chip it. But I have two crazy, rough and tumble boys and life here is definately full contact!Haha!
Maybe use it as a light pull? Ooh, or as a nail head cover for a hanging picture. Sometimes people use old drawer pulls. That's a poor description.
Like this:
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/la/look/look-picture-nail-covers-066479
can't wait to see the blanket beginnings tomorrow!

[Bertie Meadows]

Hello Lucy, your brooch is a very pretty find. I bet it will look lovely on your new coat. Looking forward to checking in on you tomorrow, to see your new project revealed.
Bertie x.

[Anna]

Ooh, yes, tomorrow my friend! Same time same place?! Would ones new brooch go on ones new Boden coat, perhaps?x

[Kar]

What a pretty little brooch. I haven't seen any in years. Brings back memories! :) Can't wait to see what your creative little mind started last night. The waiting will probably kill me but I will try to be as patient as I possibly can. Hurry though! :) xxxx

[Lindsey (ethel & edna)]

Hi Lucy
Your bag of gorgeousness (OK it was yesterday but never mind) has prompted me to pass on award to you. If you'd like to collect please pop over to 'ethel and edna's' x

[Anne]

Hello,

happy to see you liked my piece on these ceramic flower brooches. They were made through from the 1920s to the 1970s ish. The later ones are often pale in colour and so yours is probably 1920s throught to 1950s.
I hope this helps
Anne x

[susan hall]

I've never seen abrooch like this before but in my 1950's childhood the elderly relatives(usually the childless maiden aunt ones) would have little bowls or fake china logs filled with these pretty flowers.I always coveted these ornaments and being forbidden to touch could only run my probably grubby fingers over them on the sly! when I had my own home my mum remembering my old passion for them bought me a bowlful one christmas. Alas 5 children and china.... it didn'last the year!
I'm sure your little brooch is a better bet. love Susan

[A Thrifty Mrs]

I bought a near identical one today. I'll have to take a photograph to show you.

[paula]

So pretty this is.I like very much this sort of things - and charity shops too. Each time I go to England I can't see a charity shop without going in.
About the birds: now I can't wait to see them.

[cathy]

Bird feet AND brooches......... are we long lost sisters? My own postings over last couple of days have included both!
Yours is such a joyful blog! a pleasure to read. x Cathy