Tuesday 22 December 2015

SHOPPING WITH PETS!

Matt was in the shop and, during a very busy hour, a lady walked into the shop and asked if she could leave her shopping trolley near the counter. No problem.
She then asks if it’s OK to look round with her pet. Matt looks up, notices a lead and assumes it’s a dog. No problem.
‘Tis only as said customer starts to go up the stairs and rises above the crowd that Matt notices that on the end of the lead is…a raccoon!
Matt thinks that perhaps given some of the taxidermy upstairs (pine martin, fox etc.) this may not be a good idea.
Very quickly the customer comes back down stairs clutching racoon to breast.
Racoon looks 'agitated'
"Oh dear" says woman "I think he didn't like the stuffed things"
She gathers shopping trolley and exits, briefly freaking out a customer who turned to enter the shop at the exact same time the racoon exited.
Ho hum..another day in homestuffwithhistory.

Matt attempted to take a picture but sadly only managed to get the raccoon’s rear end (and tail). Unfortunately this looked like Davy Crockets hat and was not convincing! So here’s a pic of an angry stoat, instead!

Thursday 26 November 2015

PROPER VINTAGE LAMPS!

Look at our lovely vintage lamps, in the shop now! They’ve had a complete rewire and gentle resto and they're good to go. These are converted heat lamps - coming soon we’ve got American chicken feeder lamps and classic theatre lamps.

Wednesday 11 November 2015

Friday 6 November 2015

CHRISTMAS PREVIEW EVENING!

Almost here...Wednesday 11th November, 6-8pm.
Be the first to get your mittens on our vintage Christmas goodies…not to mention our quirky, unusual and, frankly, gorgeous gifts! 
Whilst you’re shopping, you can also enjoy complimentary mulled wine and mince pies. So, see you then!

Saturday 17 October 2015

New old pots

We’ve got lots of new old pots and little containers at the shop including some with beautifully aged and crazed glaze. Say that again with a mouthful of cake!

Friday 25 September 2015

ROAD TRIP!

We headed out east this week on a buying trip and found lots of goodies. We even got most of it in the van….well, almost all...apart from all the concrete garden ornaments and...err…that big display cabinet and….OK, we should have taken the bigger van!




Thursday 17 September 2015

Spies Like Us!

We have a cracking little pine scrub top table tucked up against the wall of the shop, at the mo. Perfect for coffee and conspiratorial conversation!

Monday 14 September 2015

HOW TO LOOK CLEVER!

We have another laboratory piece of measuring apparatus in the shop. How it works, or what it needs to measure, we don't know - but we almost guarantee that if you stick this in your home it will make you cleverer (and maybe a little weirder)!

Wednesday 9 September 2015

HIGH CLASS

If you think highly of yourself we've got just the right book, for someone of your stature!

We had to content ourselves with a book on frogs and other pond life….

Monday 10 August 2015

Sticks like sh*t!

We use a lot of glue at the workshop (for obvious reasons) and consequently get sent much 'industry literature,' as you might kindly call it.
I was astonished the other day to see Evo stick had brought out a new product and called it (I kid you not) “Sticks Like Sh*t!”
They actually put this in big letters on their product!
 Would I take this product on site to a client’s house?
 "I say my man, what glue are you using?"
 "Sticks like sh*t love"
  "Oh, you beast" 
Etc., etc.

 Still, we do get asked in the shop what products we use - might have to get a tube in to wop on the counter

Thursday 6 August 2015

Post GBBO

After watching the GBBO, the telly box thing somehow got stuck on channel 4+1. Oh, dear God, it was some sort of Kirsty Allplop's 'fill your house for free' best of (I know…)
I would, of course, like to make a few points.
Why do media DIYers never wear work appropriate clothing? The guy Max would be either dead or disfigured in a matter of minutes if he attempted to use any of our workshop gear dressed in a tie and loose blazer. And as for Kirsty Allplop wearing a Cath Kidston style pinnie while 'sawing' a chair up and their female designer dressed up for the nightclub, but in fact sanding and sealing.
Moving on…thanks Allplop for that handy tip that not only does your cordless drill make holes, but can also save you a lot of time by driving the screws in! Yes, thanks - I wondered why they're called drill/drivers. Perhaps a better tip would have been to advice the cannon fodder you made strip paint off a door to wear a mask - that might have been lead based paint.
Anyway the old set top unjammed and we all moved on…quickly.

Here is a picture of work appropriate gear (not 6" gold platforms)…

Sunday 2 August 2015

DUCK DESIRE!

Small boy marched into shop- “I want the duck in the window please”. Told him it was £74.95…. “My mum would like to buy the duck in the window please”…

Tuesday 14 July 2015

JOLLY JIGSAW!

Every now and then we risk buying a few vintage jigsaws. Of course, they have to be checked to make sure all the pieces are there.
This one was especially difficult, what with the reference illustration being the size of a stamp and not actually containing all the details. Still...the colours are superb and there was only one piece missing!

The next jigsaw is round and is based on London - could take a while….

Friday 10 July 2015

BEAUTIFUL BOTTLES!

Look carefully – they’re old Cambridge Lemonade bottles…and we’ve got some, in the shop now!

Friday 3 July 2015

GENIUS MUGS

Some lovely new mugs just arrived in the shop…learn new facts over breakfast...or just have them on the shelf to make you look clever!

Wednesday 1 July 2015

SUNSHINE!

Sun is shining (just in case you hadn’t noticed)...here’s a couple of bits in the shop that match the weather!

Monday 29 June 2015

TORTOISE ON THE RUN!

Slowest ever prison break! We’ll go and fetch him back, in a couple of hours or so…

Friday 26 June 2015

LITTLE DRAWERS!

Another little mini chest of drawers…with little bubble car in front (just sold the car, so we wanted to get a picture to remember the little fellow!)

Thursday 25 June 2015

SCHOOL CUPBOARD!

Here be a sneaky preview shot of stuff we're getting ready for the online shop. This is a very gorgeous red school cupboard (pine shelves on the inside) and boy…will this transform any room you stick it in!

Monday 22 June 2015

OUTDOOR LIVING!

We may anger the rain gods a little but, hey, we've got some classic old metal fold up tables in the shop. Ideal for (says in whisper) outdoor eating and general sunshine type socialising.

Do you think we got away with it?!

Friday 19 June 2015

DADDIES SAUCE!

DON’T PANIC (well, you weren’t, but now you are!)…plenty of top Father’s Day presents in the shop…Daddies Sauce, anyone?!

Thursday 18 June 2015

MINI DRAWERS!

Little sets of drawers have always been popular and we've got a few going through renovation at the workshop at the mo. This one is a very beautifully distressed little green and pink number.

Wednesday 17 June 2015

PASS THE SMELLING SALTS!

Removed from an old First Aid box we sold in the shop - smelling salts – but apparently you could drink it too…can’t have been pleasant!

Friday 27 February 2015

WORKSHOP HELPERS!

Well….we needed some new workshop staff, but these new AI kits consume far too much coffee and they’re always smiling….bit creepy!