Vintage BT Telephone

Anyone living in the UK is probably familiar with the old style BT telephones. The first versions date back to the early 1920s when you rented the handset from BT (then known as the GPO) and had it hard-wired into your house. 

This cream Bakelite version is part of the 700 series made from 1959 to the late ‘80s. I found it languishing at the bottom of a tea chest in an old house my parents are renovating, aside from the copious amount of dust covering it it seemed to be in relatively good condition so I took it home to clean it up. This is what it looked like when I first uncovered it:

I started by unscrewing the case and lifting it away from the base. I took the speaker and microphone out of the handset and using a pair of pliers, twisted and pulled the flex free. I managed to remove most of the dirt from the Bakelite components by washing them in hot soapy water. I read online that liquid metal polish can be used to remove ingrained grime and restore the original shine, so I liberally applied Brasso with an old household sponge, left it to dry to a film before buffing it off with a soft cloth. If you use this technique yourself I strongly recommend doing it in a well-ventilated area (preferably outside) or investing in a gas mask. I foolishly did it on the kitchen table and nearly passed out from the noxious fumes. After much polishing it did leave the case clean, smooth and shining like new though.

 

Next I had to unwire the line in and line out cables from the base unit. Faced with a bewildering mass of tiny wires I drew a quick diagram showing exactly what went where before disconnecting them. I dusted the electronics carefully with a paintbrush and a soft cloth. Cleaning the cables presented a bit more of a challenge, while the straight line in cable was pretty simple –I just held it taught and rubbed it with a lightly abrasive scouring pad- I didn’t want to risk pulling the curled cord out of shape so I used another tip I found online, submerging it overnight in a solution of warm water and biological detergent. When I rinsed it off in the morning it came out brilliantly clean.

I tackled the dial next. Not only was it covered in dust but it was running slowly so I removed the cover with a piece of tape, dismantled the dial and lubricated the turning mechanism. Bakelite Gal’s blog http://antiquephones.blogspot.co.uk/ was invaluable in explaining the whole process clearly and simply. I cleaned all the plastic dial components although the original paper dial label was beyond saving so I created a new one based on the original design (yes, it does match my blog!), resized it and printed it on lightweight card. I then reassembled the whole dial, rewired the electronics and slotted the case back into place.

This is how the finished phone looks. Although I can’t help but be a little disappointed that it came out more of a vanilla creamy shade rather than ivory/off white I’m still really happy with it. What do you think? 

  

Belgian Waffle with Blueberries and Banana

A friend popped around for brunch earlier in the week, unsure what to make I whipped up some batter and made Belgian waffles for us both. We then had fun experimenting with different toppings from honey (too sweet) to dried fruit (too boring) to melted chocolate (mmm) finally my friend hit upon the idea of combining blueberries and bananas with just the smallest drizzle of maple syrup. The resulting waffle was a culinary epiphany; sweet, fruity and healthy utterly delicious. I snapped a quick pic of my plate before I polished off the waffle. Yummy!

Don’t forget to check this post for my basic waffle recipe.

DIY Ribbon & Rings Necklace

I’m sure many of you have seen the Anni Albers DIY kit sold at Urban Outfitters that uses metal washers and ribbon to create a necklace. I liked the idea but I wanted to create something a little bit different so I came up with this design for a shorter, collar style necklace. It incorporates two shades of ribbon from the same tonal family (I chose neutral browns/taupes but being indecisive ended up buying three colours and only deciding at the last minute which two to use) and gold coloured rings in a pretty woven design. The necklace is incredibly quick and easy to make and the supplies can be bought cheaply from most craft stores or haberdashers.
   

What I used

- 1’’ Curtain rings

-  ¾’’ Wide ribbon

- Dress maker’s scissors

- Tape measure

- Needle and thread











1) I started by cutting a 40’’/100cm length of ribbon in each of my chosen colours. Obviously you can vary this length to create a longer or shorter necklace. Next, positioning the ribbon back to back I began weaving it through the rings. Overlapping one behind the other I wove up through the first ring, then down through the overlapped portion and up again through the second ring. This gives the first link.

2) I added a third ring and repeated the 

pattern. This photo from the side shows how the ribbon is woven in and out.

3) I continued weaving until I had attached 16 rings (like the ribbon length you could use more or less rings if you wanted a longer or shorter necklace). This is what it looked like from the front and back.

4) Even woven together the rings remain flexible so I simply curved them to give the shape of the finished necklace.

5) At this stage I could have simply tied a knot at the end of the rings but I wanted something that would look neater and reveal the contrasting coloured ribbon underneath. So I folded the loose end through 45 degrees, took it round the back of the ring, folded through 45 degrees again and passed it back through to the front. To make it extra secure I added a stitch with the needle and thread. The other end is folded in exactly the same way but the ribbon must not go down through the final ring. This is the only way to ensure both ends look the same.

6) Finally as a finishing touch I snipped the ends of the ribbon into a neat V shape and the necklace was done.     

Thanks for reading, I hope you like the necklace and that I’ve inspired you to have a go creating your own! If you have any suggestions for DIYs you'd like to see please leave them below, I'm always looking for new projects.

What's In My Bag?

I’ve seen quite a few ‘What’s In My Bag’ videos on YouTube and I always find them really interesting. While I was taking photos of my new Modalu Bibi for this post I decided it would be a good opportunity to reveal the contents of my own handbag (starting clockwise from left):

~ Make up   I rarely have time to touch up my makeup so I only carry the bare minimum with me. This is one of my favourite lip glosses, the now sadly discontinued, Benefit Her Glossiness in shade ‘My People, Your People’ along with my go-to concealer Rimmel Hide the Bleamish and my Travalo. This slim-line leather make up bag from Oasis is the perfect size for carrying my essentials.

~ Mirror   This neat compact mirror has a pretty enamel finish and matches my makeup bag.

~ First Aid Kit   I always carry emergency painkillers with me and a few differently sized Elastoplasts. This Gorgeous Feet Anti Blister stick from Boots is absolutely amazing, I just apply it to my feet anywhere shoes might rub and it prevents any irritation or soreness.

~ Tissues   Pocket tissues with a fun £20 note design for winter –or summer- colds.

~  Mini Wet Wipes   I love these berry scented wipes for hand and face, perfect for emergency clean ups.

~ Phone   My ancient LG Shine.

~ Hand Cream   This Soap & Glory Hand Food is incredibly moisturising and comes in this handy pocket-size.

~ Tic Tacs   The adult in me occasionally carries mints to freshen my breath but the child in me doesn’t really like mints so I usually have sweets like these delicious Strawberry Fields flavoured Tic Tacs in my handbag.

~ Keys   My keys with Mon-key fobs by Fred in a Cranford leather case that prevents them from scratching or damaging other things in my bag.

~ Lip Balm   I like to have a lip balm with me to keep my lips soft and moisturised. This luxury peppermint flavoured balm was hand made by my talented friend, it’s quickly become one of my favourite everyday products.    

~ Sony MP3 Player   I always carry my MP3 player stocked with music. My player also has a radio receiver for when I want to catch up with my favourite stations. 

~ Mini Torch   Yes, I actually carry a miniature torch with me! This was a jokey Christmas present but it’s actually incredibly useful for locating things in the bottom of my bag, plus it’s wind-up so it doesn’t need any fiddly batteries.  

~ Diary   I’m normally useless at keeping a diary, I start diligently enough writing all my appointments down at the start of the year but by the end of February my diary is usually languishing in a drawer forgotten. This year I’ve surprised myself by keeping it up to date this long. I’m trying to get into the habit of keeping it with me so I can write things down immediately.   

~ Notebook & Pen   Along with my diary I keep a notebook in my bag for jotting down notes, to-do lists and ideas for blog posts. This notebook gifted to me by a friend is perfect because it’s so compact and even has a pocket in the back for vouchers and receipts. The pen is my favourite Stainless Steel Parker Jotter.

~ Comb   I have really fine hair so I tend to use a comb rather than a brush. This basic tailcomb is all I need to smooth my hair throughout the day.

~ Purse   Lastly my poor overstuffed purse is crammed full to bursting with every bank, loyalty and points card I own!  I have been considering investing in a larger purse but I’ve yet to find a reasonably priced one I like more than this.

Well that’s it, all the junk I cart around with me every day. Hope you enjoyed reading this, if you decide to do your own version please comment and link it below!