Tag: children

Vintage birthday

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selection of vintage 1950s/60s children's birthday cards | H is for Home

These colourful vintage birthday cards brightened up a grey day as we wandered around the Thursday flea market stalls in Todmorden this week.

vintage '9 today' children's birthday card

They’re all unused and look to date from the 1950s. Each card features a different animal with a little rhyme inside. They’re all very cute!

interior view of 5 years old vintage birthday card

We’ll probably put them into the shop priced individually, but if you fancy buying them as a collection, just drop us a line.

Bookmarks: The Fir Tree

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"The Fir Tree" book illustrated by Sanna Annuka with Christmas baubles and sprig of holly with red berries

We’ve been huge fans of Sanna Annukka ever since she designed biscuit tins for M&S.

Christmas tree illustration in "The Fir Tree" a book illustrated by Sanna Annuka

illustration of a group of mice in "The Fir Tree" a book illustrated by Sanna Annuka

The Fir Tree is a cautionary tale by Hans Christian Andersen about living for the moment.

illustration of a campfire in "The Fir Tree" a book illustrated by Sanna Annuka

illustrations of birds in "The Fir Tree" a book illustrated by Sanna Annuka

Despite having what in reality is an ideal existence, the little tree feels that it’s missing out when other trees are taken from the forest to decorate local homes at Christmas. Eventually it is chosen… but we’ll leave it there, we don’t want to give too much away!

illustration of a man dragging the fir tree down some stairs

illustration of a group of children playing near the Christmas tree

Annukka’s illustrations are exquisite – collages of multicoloured triangles. There’s something indecipherable about the style of her illustrations that reveals her Finnish heritage…

illustration of a group of colourful Christmas baubles

illustration of a big golden sun shining down on a wood

…the influence of landscape, nature and the folk art tradition.

illustration of a wood burning stove

This book would make a perfect Christmas present for child or adult!

illustration of a tree being felled

illustration of a sailing ship

It’s available from the publishers Penguin as well as on Amazon and Hive.

illustration of a pair of horses pulling a cart full of logs

illustration of birds in fir trees

[Many thanks to Penguin for the review copy]

Ladybird, Ladybird, fly away Home!

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detail from the cover of the vintage 1959 Ladybird book, "Flight Three - U.S.A - A Ladybird Book of Travel Adventure"

Here’s a quick follow up to our recent blog post about vintage American road maps.

cover of the vintage 1959 Ladybird book,

A few days after we bought them, we also picked up this lovely little vintage Ladybird book.

page from the vintage 1959 Ladybird book,

It’s from the Flight series – this one being, “Flight Three – U.S.A – A Ladybird Book of Travel Adventure”.
page from the vintage 1959 Ladybird book,

This copy is a first edition, published back in 1959.

page from the vintage 1959 Ladybird book,

Alison & John take a trip to the USA where Dad sometimes goes on business trips.

page from the vintage 1959 Ladybird book,

They land in New York and spend a week there – then hire a car and set off on a road trip.

page from the vintage 1959 Ladybird book,

As with most Ladybirds from this era, the illustrations are fabulous.

page from the vintage 1959 Ladybird book,

Other Ladybird Book of Travel Adventure destinations in the series include Australia, Canada, Africa, India and The Holy Land.

If we ever manage to do our own American road trip in a vintage camper van (or lovely, shiny Airstream!) or a Tucson rental bus, we’ll have lots of vintage travel ephemera to accompany us… we suspect there might have been a few changes!