Friday, July 1, 2011

Everything's coming up roses!

Recently I've been adding to my collection of roses...Last year the weather (poor until the end of June) gave us lovely roses in the garden, enough for cutting in June:
and into July:
This year April and May were a blazing start to an early summer, and only my much-loved Fairy Rose has coped with the more moderate heat of June - despite generous watering the other roses are waiting for September to give us their second display. Therefore, I stopped cutting roses months ago and am a bit short of cut flowers in the house.
But that doesn't mean there aren't any roses indoors! You probably know I've been picking up French enamel (and later Chinese enamel) bowls at Vide Greniers for a while. I love the stencilled detail - see the lacy pattern on the bowl on the left here:
And I have to say that Cath Kidston has absolutely come up trumps this time with her set of three enamel bowls.When I saw them (everywhere) in British magazines last month I knew I'd be stopping at her Edinburgh shop and picking up what turned out to be one of the last sets. I've looked online and they don't seem to be in stock any more, folks. Does that mean that any of you have bought them too? They seem to be popular and I think that CK deserve a lot of credit for producing something new that sits so well alongside the vintage original.
So now we move on to other roses in my collection. I've loved this little rosy jug since I found it, covered in candle wax, at a Vide Grenier a while back. But it took me ages to appreciate the slightly more stylized rose on the French sugar tin below - I really only 'clicked' that it went with my vintage rose collection yesterday!
This tile, which I picked up over the winter, went part-way to teaching me to accept the stylized roses of the mid 20th century...
... so that when I spotted this cup and saucer in my dad's local charity shop the other week, I was finally able to admire it for what it was, rather than thinking of it as a nasty piece of old-fashioned grot from my childhood!
It's interesting how our tastes can change - sometimes I think that things too recent in our memories can't be appreciated for what they are - I think of my MIL's phrase: 'ghastly Victorian' or my mother's: 'I never liked that the first time round, dear'...But now, using the definition that three items make a collection, I am now clearly a collector of mid-century roses, as well as all the other varieties!

11 comments:

VintageVicki said...

I love roses - our have been fab this year :)

Completely missed the CK bowls - shame they are gorgeous.

Marigold Jam said...

I think you are so right about things too recent not being valued by us. I can never understand why people like 70's stuff as to me it is not old enough to be interesting whereas 30's things are before my time so I like them! You certainly have a good collection of roses.

Elderberry-Rob said...

Such pretty things you have Floss, I don't have anything rosey but funnily enough today I was in an antique shop full of things like this and I went away thinking how I would like one - maybe a plate to go on the wall. Anyhow, will have to start looking in charity shops for one I think.

Wendy said...

I am a rose addict and have a growing collection. I even have a cup and saucer very similar to yours!

Mid-century is becoming a favourite period for me (and not just the rosy things but the geometrics too) -although I still love the 30's and 40's most of all.

I know what you mean about not appreciating the things that are in our near past. It's only recently that I have started appreciating bits of the 70's - and heaven knows the 80's are still a no-go area for me. No way. The 80's were awful. At least the 70's have classic design elements.

I was in Primark yesterday and saw that they are selling long-sleeved, lined tunic/shift dresses in the same type of fabric and design that my Mom wore in the late 1960's/early 70's. EXACTLY the same. It was eery.

polkadotpeticoat said...

Oh my what a lovely bunch of enamelware in flowers!!

A garden just outside Venice said...

The CK French roses enamelware range is really great! Love your mix and match!
Can't wait for the 4th of July then! ;-)

fee @ chipper nelly said...

beautiful one and all. Lovely old suitcases too.
We were near Toulouse in May last year and the weather was a bit grim!
fee x

Beck said...

Oh, such lovely roses!! I was telling my own Rosie today how they are my favourite flower. She then told me she was called Rosie because she had rosie little cheeks. Cute. I love the enamel ware, so gorgeous! Hope all is well with you Floss, I haven't been to visit you for a while. I'll be back soon, I've missed you & your lovely space xo

Lululiz said...

I love your rose collection, Floss, those gorgeous vintage bowls are fabulous. I didn't even know CK had produced those lovely little bowls, you are so lucky to have been able to buy a set. They go so well with the vintage ones in your collection.

Serenata said...

A fabulous rose collection Floss, so glad you managed to get those CK bowls. :-)

June said...

You have some lovely rosey items! I like the enamel bowls - the CK ones are pretty but I think I prefer the old French ones - although from your comment both varieties are going to be hard to find! The enamel bowls clearly flew off the CK shelves!
June