Sunday 1 September 2013

Willy, Louise, Morris, Esq, Wiggle and Me...






... all meet up on the Somerset Levels.

Those painted animals are from a screen which has been papered with vintage child's nursery wall-paper. I REALLY want a roll or two of that for myself. It was actually used as a backdrop for some articles of clothing, but the screen - sadly - wasn't for sale. How did the exhibition go? Well, it was a good excuse to meet up with one of my favourite families and party.

You were all right about those droving dogs - they are Smooth Haired Collies, and now quite rare.

My legs are long, but the sun was low.

27 comments:

  1. Muffin the Mule was also featured on the screen, which makes it 1950s. I bet that wallpaper would be expensive if you could find it.

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  2. That beautiful dog, Tom. It looks like a greyhound. Is it really a smooth haired collie?

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    1. So I am told. Dogs with one white eye always look a bit weird - like Marilyn Manson.

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  3. Cutsie naivety. Exactly what children liked in the 50's. We came across a largish ride-on metal Muffin at a local boot sale recently. The bloke wanted a bloody fortune for it, so we declined. What WAS it doing in France?

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    1. Ride-on Muffin' the Mule? Now you're talking.

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    2. With wheels, and front/rear legs that moved apart.

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    3. Parting front legs - now you're talking.

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  4. I love the jacket slung casually over the shoulder ..... I had a Muffin The Mule brooch when I was little !! XXXX

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    1. Are you sure it wasn't a badge in the Girl Guides, Jack@?

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    2. NO !!! I did have some of those as well but, I have a photo of me, taken by the school photographer when I was in Primary School wearing my Muffin the Mule badge. I think that I was in the Muffin the Mule Club !! XXXX

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    3. What was the name of the woman on the piano? Marjorie something?

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    4. It was Annette Mills, sister of John Mills. She had such a ' plum in her mouth ' English accent !!!! I can even remember the song " We Want Muffin " !!!! XXXX

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    5. ANNETTE MILLS! Thank you, I haven't remembered that name for about 56 years. 'We want Muffin' - don't we all?

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    6. ALSO it has taken this long for me to understand that she was the sister of Jon Mills! Well I'm blowed/buggered/fucked* (*delete as inappropriate)

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  5. Had to look up Muffin the Mule - but was distracted by falling instantly in love with the wall-paper (especially Louise - such innocent frivolity, cute!)
    The long shadow looks like that of a person in the Yellow Submarine.

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    1. Oh god, yes - that silly film based on the worst tune that The Beatles ever made, thanks to Ringo and LSD.

      I learnt how to design this sort of wallpaper when I was at college - all colours separately applied in black only, then lithographed into register; then the repeats on all four sides so that they all blend in without any breaks.

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  6. Muffin the Mule is one of my childhood TV viewing highlights; Bill and Ben (the Flower Pot Men) is another. There was only one TV in the whole street of 35 houses. About 8 or 10 kids could sometimes be found, mainly if the weather was bad, suitably bored in a semi-circle on the floor in front of it.

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  7. It may not surprise you that my favourite character is willy

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    1. And it may not surprise you that the sole reason I put Willy the Worm on the top was JUST to attract you, John. I do love you, you know.

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    2. I know.......my boyish charm gets em every time

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    3. Yes, it cuts through all that dog-shit and cat-vomit.

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