Turnups & Tantrums

Hatch it and grab it*

Hatch Show Print is one of America's oldest surviving poster printing shops. Based in Nashville, they started out in 1879 doing posters over the years for carnivals, minstrel shows, Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Elvis and rather disappointingly Garth Brooks. Ah well, I suppose they've got to pay the bills.

The letterpress and hand-carved woodblock techniques fell out of fashion, but Hatch persevered. That's the spirit.

Caravans, sausages and scary clowns. Cool.

*Pointless pun on Snatch it and Grab it, top rockabilly track from Freddie Hart.

Feeling slightly bloated?

Balls to Activia, if you have slow digestive transit use Bile Beans!

Especially handy for "female weakness".

We picked this tin up at a local antiques market. It'll look perfect in our world's smallest chemists' museum.

Steve Earle's son sings

A cool, rocking, country tune from the cool, rocking, country, tall Justin Townes Earle.

Pill Popping Papa

We have an old-fashioned bathroom, which has an old fashioned bathroom cabinet, which we like to fill with old-fashioned apothecary type stuff. It's like the smallest chemists' museum in the world.

We were particularly pleased with the Wound Dressing we picked up in our local antique market.

So if you know anybody with really old complaints, you know where to send them. 

 

Click the picture for a closer look.

Leader of the pack

We had a doggy guest for the weekend, little Louis Walsh! He's certainly been a hit walking in Wanstead. Gabs has managed to go all Dog Whisperer on us, trying very hard to be leader of our little pack. (Luckily it's only for a couple of days.) 

Here are a few pics of Louis having a wash and blow dry -  we do live on the Essex borders after all!

"Why's she holding my tail in the air?"

"I look like the littlest hobo."

"That's better, Limahl."

Hit me with your swizzle stick

Here's another top find from our local antiques market. Although this is seventies vintage, I reckon, not quite an antique.

It's a slightly confused piece of marketing. Whilst you're at home enjoying a cocktail let the cocktail stick suggest a local pub you could be in instead.

"The Nag's Head in Hockley Heath anyone?"

Maybe these could be re-introduced to aid our ailing public houses.

 

 

Pub sign on the front.

Mine hosts listed on the reverse.

They even patented them!

A Monty Double

I don't want to get all Brokeback Mountain on you, but check out this shirt that Montgomery Clift is wearing. It's from The Misfits.

And while we're at it, here's another cool Monty shirt that featured in From Here to Eternity.

Mali a la mode

Seydou Keïta was a photographer from Mali, he took photos of his neighbours and locals from the 1940s through to the 60s. We saw his work at Tate Modern, it's brilliant. Check out these cool dudes. The Sartorialist, eat your heart out.

By the way, isn't that the most serious looking baby you've ever seen!

Spring to your feet

Springtime! At last! The daffs are in bloom, the flip-flops are out, and I've just finished these winter socks. It's becoming a yearly tradition.

 

Another success from The Vogue Ultimate Sock book.

Catalina cool

Founded in 1928 in Los Angeles, after changing their name from Pacific Knitting Mills, Catalina Sportswear was the epitome of Hollywood style. This is an early fifties version I found in a thrift store in Austin, Texas. Styled for the stars of Hollywood no less! Although the last time I wore it was at a damp and drizzly holiday camp in Camber Sands.