Is it possible for there to be a hobby that makes stamp collecting look sexy? If so then coin collecting probably fits the bill. I kind of understand stamp collecting - all the different pictures, shapes and sizes, plus the old fashioned romantic idea of letters bearing these stamps travelling round the world in the days before email. But, to me, coin collecting just seems somewhat dull in comparison. The Ladybird Coin Collecting book was first published in 1976 and therefore covered British coins up to the then new decimal currency. As well as detailing lots of British coins up to ... read more
Ladybird Tuesday: Key Words Reading Scheme 2a We have fun
2015 is the hundredth anniversary of Ladybird books and that means there's likely to be many more appearances of Ladybird books in the media. It's a shame therefore that last week's Ladybird Tuesday went AWOL, but I hope this week's will make up for it. BBC Breakfast posted this video on its Facebook page earlier today and I thought it therefore appropriate to choose something from the Ladybird Key Words Reading Scheme for this week's Ladybird Tuesday. Post by BBC Breakfast. I've gone with book 2a We have fun as it's one of the series where I have copies of both the ... read more
Ladybird Tuesday: Christmas Special!
Ladybird Tuesday often goes a bit AWOL over the festive period, but seeing as I always mean, but fail, to do a round up of Ladybird inspire gifts before each Christmas I though that instead I'd do a quick round up of the Ladybird presents I was lucky enough to receive on Christmas day. First up was a gift from my husband that I'd actually put on my Christmas list - The Ladybird Story. This book started life as a PhD thesis on the history of Ladybird books and whilst it is written very much in an academic style, it is completely fascinating. I've not yet had the time to read it all ... read more
Ladybird Tuesday: Coffee
I do sometimes wonder just how Ladybird decided which books to put in some of their series - in particular the Ladybird Leader series (737). Whilst they're all subjects where there is plenty to learn about, the list can seem a bit random when you first read it. From water to bridges, apes and monkeys to fruit, and deserts to coffee. Coffee is obviously a huge commodity in the world today and if anything the way people drink coffee has changed even more since 1977 when this book was first published. Now there are coffee shops every few meters (well in St Albans there certainly are) and it's ... read more
Ladybird Tuesday: ‘People at Work’ The Soldier
The Ladybird People at Work series (number 606B) has to be one of my absolute favourite ones, mainly as it just gives such a fascinating insight into what everyday life was like at the time. I find all the illustrations fascinating and they really are packed full of interesting facts - as well as a few sexist comments of the time! I've previously featured The Policeman, The Car Makers and In a Hotel on Ladybird Tuesday and if I had been planning more ahead I probably should have featured The Soldier in last week's post - after all it was the 11/11 last week. The role of a soldier is ... read more
Washi Tape decorated Vintage Maps Storage
My mum is about to move house, and as she's downsizing she's spent the last few months having a huge clear out of all the stuff that the family has accumulated over the years. It's fair to say that I think none of us had any idea just how much stuff there was in her house, garages and outbuildings. As part of this my sister and I have been helping where we can by taking a few things off her hands, especially things that we have fond childhood memories of. I've always been a huge fan of maps, vintage ones in particular (and that passion was reawakened by the relevant vintage Ladybird ... read more
Ladybird Tuesday: A Ladybird Book of Flags
Ladybird Tuesday has become a bit lost over the last few weeks. So much has been going on here and my head has been so busy digesting everything I've been discovering about where I want this blog to go that I just needed to park it for a little while. It's definitely not going away though, especially since I found myself really missing my weekly look at all things vintage Ladybird related. The lovely Becky from Thrifty Home (and several other amazing blogs!) pinged me on Facebook last week and revealed that she had a few Ladybird books that were in a pile to take to the charity shop and ... read more
Ladybird Tuesday: Scouts
My Ladybird collecting obsession is now at the stage where I have to carry round in my handbag two little notebooks containing a list of all the Ladybird titles in my collection, arranged by series. Otherwise it seems I can no longer remember which ones I have or which ones I just dream of having. Against each series I also have a tally number so that I know just how many there are out there in the series. Ladybird were a bit strange in that they had several series where there was only one or two titles, yet other series that had many more. One series that is exactly the right size is ... read more
Ladybird Tuesday: Robin Hood Outlawed
Oh my - there are some varied Ladybird books joining my collection right now. I have to admit that there are some that I am more fond of than others, but it's still fascinating to see how my collection is growing, and what is available when in local charity shops. This week on Ladybird Tuesday I'm looking at Robin Hood Outlawed. Now, these Robin Hood books were part of series 740, called Classics, and were a sub-series of 4 titles which came under the Robin Hood Adventures banner. Whilst this book has a copyright date in it of 1978, I think this is actually a later version, possibly ... read more
Ladybird Tuesday: Sunstart Reading Scheme – On the Beach
Do you know what one of my smartest moves ever was in collecting Ladybird books? Realising that Danny from Clouds in my Coffee goes to loads of jumble sales and the like and that he's fab at seeking out Ladybird books! When I heard he was off to a car boot sale on Sunday I cheekily reminded him to keep a look out for me and I was therefore somewhat delighted when he sent me this picture asking if there was anything I could see that I wanted. At just 30p each I'm delighted to say that several came home to me and even more delighted that I took the effort to zoom in and notice one ... read more