Coffee Pot love

I have a confession to make: I'm ever so slightly obessed with retro coffee pots.

It started with a trip to Pop Boutique in Manchester. I resisited The Want for everything as usual, trying to stay focused on only buying something I really really liked, and I saw this:

I think it was the shine of the chrome, the sleekness of the design, and the fact that I could carry it back home to London (couldn't say that about the amazing G-Plan dresser it was sat on. As much as I had The Want for that, there was no way ot was going in my suitcase). Very pleased with myself, i paid my £8 (bargain!), and left.

Then there was the time I was in Mitcham (random yes, but there's a good concentration of charity shops, and I can get the tram there. Genius), when I saw this amongst the tat:

My heart swooned. It's so amazingly retro and the pattern reminded me of the old 1970's curtains in the house I grew up in (it was the '80's, but still...)


I was sure I'd seen that pattern before, so i looked at the base which told me it was a Hornsea Herloom piece. On to Ebay I went to find matching pieces, and that I did. But I also saw more, and more and more reto coffee posts - chrome, ceramic, '50's, 60's, 70's ...and my obsession was in full swing. The latest is this beauty from Germany. Check out those flowers!

So yes, I am obsessed. Ironic really as I don't even drink coffee....

The Joy of Charity Shops: Oslo style

Myself and The Boy went on a weekend break to Oslo recently; it's a great city with my favourite combination of good shops, good bars and a good vibe. I spent a lot of time gawping at the beautiful traditional wood houses painted in red, blue or white and the ornate city buildings...but me being me, I was most excited by the chartity/vintage shopping. I'd done some reading before we left and knew the best area was Grunerlokka. Luckily for The Boy, there were plenty of cafes to sit in, as his usual waiting outside the shop routine was out of the question when the average temperature is minus 5 degrees.

I saw lots of lovely things, but the best store was Fretex Unika - a part of Salvation Army Norway. Lots of good stuff, not cheap (but nothing is in Oslo. And i mean nothing), but it is well worth a visit.

I got these beauties; a gorgeous pale grey leather 1970's handbag and a pair of red leather gloves with a furry lining. Very pleased with myself. Well, I was until I got my credit card bill...