There's been a murder!

I love reading Agatha Christie books and have done ever since I was young.  I still enjoy reading them to this day and despite reading them several times I never remember who the murderer is!  I also enjoy the Poirot and Miss Marple adaptions on the tv and wouldn't mind starring in one even if it was just as an extra.  I could be one of the old pussies in the tea shop gossiping when Miss Marple overhears and because of my innate ability to understand the human psyche, my gossiping helps solve the case.  I could maybe have a walk on part where I'm in the village doing my daily shopping before stopping in the Post Office and asking for two first class stamps and a packet of envelopes.  The possibilities are endless but because I've never acted before I'm thinking my appearance would be more from the Mrs Overall school of acting rather than RADA.

Being fairly pragmatic, I know that it is highly unlikely I will ever be cast in a Miss Marple adaption so I decided to create my own miniature diorama depicting a scene from one of my favourites, The Body in the Library starring:

Joan Hickson as Miss Marple

                                                 Gwen Watford as Dolly Bantry

                                           and Astra Sheridan as Pamela Reeve

The complete diorama can be seen here:

 

Checking the body for clues before the police arrive.

The scene is my interpretation based on when Miss Marple and Doll Bantry inspect the body in the library before the police officers arrive.

This was so much fun to create and I got the idea when I happened upon a Poirot minikin doll made by Sarah and Elizabeth from the USA.  They create a range of wonderful figures and you can see them here as well as their Etsy shop.  I tried to think how I could use a Miss Marple doll in a scene and as I happened to be flicking through a dollhouse brochure at the time when I saw a library wallpaper the light bulb came on and The Body in the Library diorama was born!  I emailed Sarah and Elizabeth to ask if they could make me a Joan Hickson doll and they came back with all three after I told them what I was planning on doing.  I was blown away by the detail as everything is exactly as it was in the film and considering they are only 4" tall, I think they are fantastic.  The rest of the scene I created using doll house miniatures and found that I became quite obsessive over the smallest detail but those details are the ones that make all the difference!

A really great project for me and I can't wait to start the next one :)

I'm not one for gossip but.............

"Hyacinth! Now you know I'm not one for gossip but I had to tell you that Faded Rose Vintage has had a little mention in 91 magazine. That's right, It's Patchwork Harmony on Facebook"

"Its only a little mention, one line in fact but its also a jolly good article about one of her favorite fairs, The Vintage & Handmade Fair in Chipping Sodbury. 
Here's the link: http://issuu.com/91magazine/docs/craftspecfinal, page 74 if you're interested.

"I wouldn't normally mention it but you know what she's like, she'll dine out on it for years."

"Yes just like she did when she appeared on Sun, Sea and Bargain Spotting with Angela Rippon. In fact I'm surprised its taken her this long to mention it"

"Oh yes Rippers is still high kicking and talking about the time she danced with Morecombe and Wise in their 1976 Christmas special."

"No FRV didn't win. I think it had something to do with the fact that her 'expert' was most famous for appearing on Boot Sale Challenge on an obscure Sky channel at 3 in the morning. Apparently he told FRV that the experts were there to make the contestants look good. I mean REALLY!  Who's making who look good now eh? Who has one line written about them in a magazine and who can't be found when you google them?"

"It was also rather funny that they all took themselves to be wine experts but when it came to ordering the wine, and I'm mentioning no names here but lets call him Bunty, he ordered a dessert wine to go with the main course of a Cassoulet.  Lets hope he knows more about antiques than he does wine!"

"No she isn't bitter at all and no you can't find it on Iplayer, she's checked!"

"Anyway I have to go Hyacinth as I have to get ready for Loulou's piano recital. You know Loulou, bouffant hair, filthy rich, yappy dog. Yes that's right always has a bit of lipstick on her teeth"

"No I'm afraid you aren't invited dear, Au resevoir!"

Cinderella called, she wants her slipper back!

Just before Christmas I went for a little mooch round a local antiques shop.  I didn't find very much until my eyes were drawn to a dusty old windowsill out the back of the shop and there it was, Cinderella's shoe!

Sitting all alone on that windowsill was the most beautiful and delicate silk shoe.  Apparently the owners of the shop own a rag yard in France and this was found in a cupboard.  I'm not sure how old it is.  They thought it was 18th century but I don't know enough to confirm this.  All I know is that I would barely be able to fit a toe in it!

It is quite long and very slender and looks to me as though a very well to do lady would have worn it.  It's in a very fragile state now but the fact it's survived is wonderful.

Finds like this are terribly romantic for me as it let's your imagination run riot.  Who would have worn it? When would they have worn it? Why is there only one?

Such a lovely find kept safe under a dome now where it waits for the Prince to come and return it to his Cinderella :)