I have never really "collected" any one vintage item in particular but after purchasing a set of vintage salt and pepper shakers years ago a little collection did begin to gather in my house...
It wasn't that I set out find and collect them, it just happened.
Each set seems represents something from my life...either some event or something I am very fond of.
My first set was the "kissing boy and girl".
I bought this set orignally because I loved the colours and the way they sit perfectly on a shelf. But they also remind me of home, where I bought them.
I love birds and all things vintage with birds on them!
The colours of this set are so fresh and I like the way they are in different poses.
Paul bought me this wonderful set of little Amish folk for Christmas one year.
He had brought them back from the US knowing how much I enjoy seeing the Amish driving their horse carts when we are visiting my mom back home.
This little set was bought here in the UK but is foreign made. I bought this one because I do love horses and carts and have a secret wish that it would be acceptable to take a horse and cart to Tesco's instead of the car...
Paul bought me this set of little skunks.
There is a story behind the skunks too which you may enjoy; although it starts out a bit scary it ends happily...
About 9 years ago we went home to the US. We were going to be with my Grandma who was very unwell so we thought we might stay for some time so we had to take our beloved border collie, Jet, with us.
One evening, as it was getting dark, Paul and I decided to take Jet for a walk. Jet seemed to be taking a great interest in an area of overgrown grasses and branches so we let him explore. Suddenly he jumped back and began whining; we smelled a horrid, putrid smell. I knew immediately...SKUNK!!!
We started to run back home but Jet dropped to the ground, whimpering and attempting to crawl along the ground towards our voices. I knew that if a dog got sprayed in the face by a skunk, he could temporarily lose his sight, which is just what happened to Jet.
I was desperate to hug him and comfort him but I knew that if I got the smell on me it would be days or even weeks before the smell would wear off.
My love for him overcame my worry about the smell and I grabbed him and soothed him, noticing that he had only been sprayed lightly, in the face and around his wonderfully fluffy pure white mane. He only seemed to lose his sight for about a minute and then was back up again and walking back with us to my mother's house. I don't mind telling you, even though it was a light spray, the smell that followed our poor dog was nauseating!
Growing up in an area where there were skunks, I knew that tomato juice was the only available option to rid Jet of some of his offensive odour. I checked the cupboards in the kitchen and my well prepared mom had 5 huge, industrial sized cans of tomato juice! We put Jet in the bath and emptied the cans on his face and his neck...and scrubbed...and scrubbed some more...
It was some time before we felt the smell had worn off enough to rinse him and remove him from the bath. After we dried him off we realised that his gleaming white fluffly mane and the white parts of face had turned pink from the red tomato juice.
We had a pink and black dog for almost 2 weeks....despite a considerable amount of further baths..
He still feels humiliated when we talk about it.
We found out the following day that it was a mother skunk who had her babies hidden in the undergrowth. She was protecting her family. She was spotted carrying each baby to a new hiding spot...
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