Bringing the spring in

It was a sunny market day and the stalls were full of spring bulbs and baskets of cheerfully coloured plants. These little Muscari are barely out, but I thought they looked so pretty in this old enamel pot, which was another find on a vintage stall. It has really spindly, sweet handles, and the bottom is a sieve, so I don't even have to make drainage holes. In fact, this was one of a  few good purchases today. These mixed hyacinths are a joy (and I only had to shift a bunch of hockey sticks, three pairs of enormous trainers, a bag of jelly babies and several sports kits to make our kitchen look tidy...):

The oil cloth is another new acquisition. I had tried a bright, almost acid green, which I quite liked, but I am more at home with muted colours....

Then I found a little something to do up....

This is a tiny Lloyd Loom-style chair. I shall make a new cushion cover (a round one will be a challenge, but perhaps I will use the old one as a template) and hopefully it can go into my May sale. Very cute. There are an increasing number of vintage stalls on our market, which used to be purely fruit and veg. I am certainly not complaining! And finally, the latest issue of Nene Valley Living is out, with my wonky heart on the cover and a spring-like feel:

You can see inside the magazine at www.bestlocalliving.co.uk