I had a little bit of free time last week and my fingers itched. I was making a shrine for a friend, and while I was at it, I made a couple more. Inexplicably, Thornton was on my mind, even *before* the NS anniversary. I blame it on the gorgeous tins I had rediscovered when I went through the whole tin stash earlier this summer. It all led to a vintage theme. But let’s have a look at the tin first.
Sorry, slightly blurry. And I am only seeing now that the company is based in Leicester… Dang, too late… This lovely old tin came from Helen, several years ago already. I decided to leave its outside untouched – because it is nice the way it is. That also applies to the back of it.
From the look of it, I would guess this is a tin from the 1940s – just the font and the decor look a bit art deco to me.
Since the tin originally contained a tear repair kit, Mr Thornton was an obvious choice of subject. His torn, mended and threadbare attire was one of the many thoughtful details that the TV show got right, and which Richard remarked upon, too.
Anyhow, so Mr Thornton…
The proud mill owner, gazing across his empire. The background is decorated with bits and pieces from his desk – the blueprint of a cotton spinning machine, ledger, lists, ads… And a little silhouette.
Thornton glowers so prettily, so I left it without many words. But you can actually open the little NS booklet and write your own love letter to Thornton into it. – You may also notice the two tiny “handles” on either side of the background paper. They are deliberate as the whole collage can be removed from the tin. I made it that way because the “bottom” of the shrine (which is actually the inside of the tin’s original lid), has some writing on it that I didn’t want to cover.
(There is also an underside to this bottom design that the shrine owner could decorate or write on – I just didn’t photograph it.)
So, all in all, Mr Thornton in his habitat.
I’m thinking I will throw this tin into the fundraiser for the RAnet rescue. It has been a bit quiet on that front in the last week while we are still exploring the best way of migrating the site and while I wait for the actual date of transfer of ownership. But I will definitely organise a fundraiser by the end of this month.
On that topic – could I have your opinion in a quick poll? As I said, I’d like to get this fundraiser done in the month of November. My thinking behind this is: Not only would it raise the funds needed for the site migration in December, but I would also like it to be an opportunity for fans to see the auctions/sale as gifts for the upcoming Christmas season – and allow for receiving the purchased items in the post *before* the holidays, too. Now, at the end of the month the US has Thanksgiving and subsequent Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales. Is that a *good time* for an auction? Does it mean that people have *more* time to go online and bid (because they are off work and are doing their Black Friday shopping, anyway) or is it a bad time because people are spending time with their families and avoiding the internet? The auctions usually run for three days, anyway, but I do want to get the timing right. Let me know in the poll and comments 🙂
Guylty Pleasure 
People in the U.S. spend Thursday eating and watching football on tv. Friday is for shopping. All day. Some start at 6 a.m. Others go until midnight. Also Saturday and Sunday for shopping, but most might be sick of it and ready to go back to their real lives (i.e. internet) by Saturday. Though they will also cruise internet on phones while waiting in lines (queues) during shopping and at the dinner table on Thursday while listening (trying not to listen) to boring/annoying relatives. So maybe the whole question is moot, and you should just carry on with your auction whenever you wish!
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Yeah, these are all interesting considerations. I mean, I want to make sure that we get as much exposure as possible. There probably is no “ideal” time, anyway… I’ll probably just follow whatever the poll decides.
Thanks for weighing in!
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That’s a beautiful shrine Guylty. When i read ‘Mend a tear’ on the tin, I thought it meant as in boo-hoo tear drops. I quite like that idea and N&S certainly cheers people up. For the poll, did you mean 2nd Dec as Monday, rather than both 1st and 2nd falling on the Sunday? I selfishly would prefer Fri to Mon, as I will be away before then, but other than that I don’t mind – I ignore Black Friday anyway.
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Oh, you are so right – a tear 💧, not a rip… That would’ve been such a good interpretation, too. (Although I am wrecking my brain now to think of a good context. Mr Thornton saying “look back at me”?)
You are absolutely right – Monday, 2nd of Dec. Damn.
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Yes, that’s a killer tear-jerker line. And how about “Miss Hale will not have me”? Sob sob
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Sod Miss Hale. Honestly, I never understood that proud woman. Completely did not deserve Thornton. Bam.
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Spot on, “It should have been me”!
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*swoon*
Utterly gorgeous shrine. And that tin is so cool. Especially with the Leicester connection.
Not sure about the auction. I don’t think it’s necessarily a worse time than another to do it. I say do what works for you. If you build it, they will come. We make it work in the middle of summer holidays. I bid on the beach. Where there’s a will and all that. Give a shout if you need any help.
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P.S. I think the dates in the poll are off.
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Yep – I think I mixed up the first of advent in there… Ah well…
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You know what – I think you are right. THe timing is probably secondary. I’ll just have to get the ball rolling. (That means getting all the items photographed, the blurbs written, and the auctions activated.)
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Lots of work…
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Happy to do it 🙂
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Gorgeous RAPS, and the tin is perfect.
As for the auction, it really doesn’t matter one way or the other here. Although auction finishing times in the middle of the night can be tricky, shopping online can be done any time, and we don’t have Thanksgiving so start whatever time suits you, you’re doing the work that’s involved in putting it all together. As Kate says, “if you build it, they will come”.
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Great, thanks for the feedback. The time difference with Oz is really tricky. It is one of the reasons why I always try to have the auctions run for 3 days so that *everybody* has the option of looking at things during their day time – at some point, at least…
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Gorgeous RAPS. Whoever wins it will be one lucky lady. I thought ‘tear, rhymes with beer’ as well. Especially with the mention of waterproofs on the lid. “Miss Hale will not have me.” Sob indeed! How very dare she! 😡
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She got it so wrong!
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great RAPS.. Have a google for John Bull-interesting article of wikipedia. I really like the yellow rose wallpaper
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You mean John Bull as the personification of typical Englishman?
I will never NOT think of NS when I see yellow roses…
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yeah re John Bull
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Love love love the shrine!
As for auction date – doesn’t matter to me, whenever is convenient for you.
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Thanks for the feedback – auction/sale happening from next Friday *yay*
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