Posy

Mary

"Did you have a good weekend, Jane?"

"Morning Jane, do anything nice over the weekend?"

These were just some of the questions put to me this morning when I arrived at school. And my answer?

"Absolutely wonderful, thank you! I did many, many hours of gardening, (got through 320 litres of compost and I'm still yet to plant up my second lot of sweet peas in my 'new' enamel tin bath,) wasn't the weather lovely?  I went to 3 car boot sales as well which was pure bliss!"

(...and I spent my Saturday night scraping paint off of Mary and Baby Jesus...you know.. like you do on an average Saturday night...!)  I didn't actually say that but it was true and was one of the best parts of the weekend. I'm very excited about my new find at Saturday morning's car boot sale.  (Incidentally, for those of you who are wondering and have asked, a car boot sale is when a large group of people meet in a field, car park, race course etc and sell their unwanted items, usually from the back (boot) of their car.)  I nearly didn't buy it as I thought the family might really think that I had lost my marbles this time, but I did buy it and I'm so glad I did. So glad, and for £2 as well.

Brace yourselves...

...meet Mary and Baby Jesus

They are a bit damaged and have had paint flicked all over them, but I just love, love their faces, especially Mary's who looks so incredibly sad.

 

These are the before pictures. Who would let paint splatter all over such a beautiful chalkware statue? I'm afraid the 'after' pictures don't look that much better. I'm not sure if I should try and touch up the blue splotches or just leave it.

Recently I have become quite a fan of what I call 'flea market style.'  A eclectic mix of styles that seem to be quite fashionable at the moment (just take a peep at 'Flea Market Style' and 'Cheap Chic' by Emily Chalmers.)  I don't have a problem recognising pieces that fit that look but I do have a huge problem with cowardliness! Yes, I'm struggling big time in letting go of my safe colour co-ordinated schemes. I'm just not brave enough.  So when I saw the statue I thought how 'flea market' and then, how will I get this past the rest of the family! But I have and as soon as I placed her on the mantlepiece it just looked right. So good in fact. Good enough to take anyone who visited on Saturday to see her, including Tom's 19 year old friend Richard, who kindly indulged me and didn't visibly flinch.

So my transition to flea market style has begun...if I'm brave enough!

A Weekend of Firsts

Last weekend was a weekend of 'firsts' for 2008 - first car boot,  first time I sat behind my sewing machine and made something, first time in the garden and first time I have ever driven in a snow storm!

Right, let's start at the beginning and that was Saturday morning's car boot. Oh, it was so wonderful.  I've missed it so much...too much.

I also found a chimney pot which is awaiting a plant on our patio. I didn't find alot but I love what I did find. And it looks like I'll have all the answers to the questions of the universe to as I found God's answer book!

On Sunday, I was up very early to do my most favourite of car boot sales.  The neighbours that usually take me couldn't go so I decided I would go myself. Bad move.  I ended up taking a wrong turn and it suddenly started to snow heavily. Yes snow! I found myself trying to drive with huge flakes hurtling at the windscreen it got a bit icy and the car even skidded at one point. I have never driven in snow and I didn't like it. So, after driving for over an hour I headed back home, very disappointed, where there was bright sun. Crazy British weather.

I spent the afternoon at my sewing machine.  I have been suffering with a bad case of sewing-block but I ended up making..

..a new pair of kitchen curtains (not working curtains)

..a 'bed pouch' for my ever growing pile of books and magazines by my bed..

..and 2 tablecloths made from some Cath and Green Gate fabric and I also sewed 2 pairs of single sheets (lilac ones)together to make them fit our king size bed. It felt good to be at my machine again.

And today (Monday) I spent some time in the garden tidying up before my annual trip to Hill House Nursery hopefully sometime this week.

And tomorrow?  I finally have my crochet-date with lovely Lisa, so it will be a 'chatting over a pot of tea, maybe in front of the fire, crochet' afternoon...and I can't wait.

Gathering :: Part 3

The small, black wheels on my red carry-on bag, reverberated on Auckland Airport's marble floors as Anthony and I walked through the Departure Lounge. Oh, an escalator.  Anth scooped up my bag and plonked it on the moving staircase.  Before I could think about what I was saying my slightly stressed, higher-than-usual voice rang out,

"CAREFUL, I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF LARGE JUGS IN THERE!"

My voice had fallen again when I said the ' in there' part realising that I had spoken in too loud a voice. The people's heads had spun around to see who the lady was with the large jugs...(jugs in the UK can be used as a slang word for bosoms!)  My 21 year old nephew thought I said drugs, which was probably less unusual and was cringing with embarrassment and I'm sure that was the longest escalator ride of his life!

Yes, I managed to carry 2 beautiful rose pattern jugs, across the world, stuffed with knickers, vintage hankies and embroidered tray cloths to protect them. Just look at what I collected..

..can you see my large jugs?!  This was my total haul.  Oh what wonderful hunting I had.  My long-suffering brother-in-law and his partner sat outside a junk shop on the hottest day I have ever known in my life (approx 40C) and saw me walk back to the car carrying 3 double, woolen blankets.  They could hardly believe their eyes and I was met with a, "Cold are you?"

The next day I went back and bought 4 more and then spent the rest of the holiday fretting about how I was going to get all of this home.  The blankets deserve a photo of their own, which I will do sometime soon. They are pastel, checked, woolen blankets which I bought for a couple of dollars and then saw some in a 'vintage' shop selling for about $90 each!! If you look closely there are some lilac ones under the Laura Ashley Clarissa duvet cover next to my large jugs!  Oh dear I had better stop all the jug talk and move onto the book find of the year so far..

Oh my, you should have heard me exclaim when I picked this up in Whitcoulls in New Plymouth. My oohs and arhhs were so loud that Anth had to shush me as he was quite embarrassed by my fuss. I seem to spend my life embarrassing my family, but this time a fuss is called for.  This book is wonderful; all about the New Zealand woman of the past and the history and stories behind their crafts. Reviews here and here. They describe it much better than me.  I didn't buy it then as I was worried about the cost and the fairly big size of it; but later after thinking about it a lot I realised that it was part of my daughters' heritage and even though they have absolutely no interest in 'my old lady stuff' now, I'm ever hopeful that one day they will. So I bought it (the cover alone is worth the price) and it also joined my jugs in my hand luggage.

So there we have it. I bought mainly linen and in case you're wondering those large jugs of mine remained intact and now sit prettily on our mantelpiece...and yes, I have removed the knickers from inside!

"Jane, what the heck is this?!"

..."Er well, they are flower dish washing sponges. Look, they are made of foam and shaped into roses!"

Shake of the head.

.....Stunned silence......

Not only my Tea Towels..

..."Mum ..MUM...MUMMM...What on earth is this??!!

Tut, bang the door is thrown open.."MUM...!"

One of my children appears at the bathroom door, a look of disdain on their face, an arm outstretched with one of my new 'face cloth' held between their thumb and index finger.

"Ah yes, I see you've found one of our new face cloths." I reply, bracing myself for the reaction.

It came. So this vintage find hasn't been welcomed with open arms. That was to be expected.

"Well," reminded Anth, "how many other people have lace around their face flannels?"

"Yes but if you look at it you will see it is actually ric-rac sort of made into an edging, it's not officially lace. It's so clever, just look!" I say.

He briefly looks. Now you have a look - I bet you appreciate it.

I found about 6 of assorted sizes. Oh yeah, guess where? Yep, Totnes in another box! So, it's not just our tea towels that are trimmed with lace it's our face cloths too.

Now, I bet even Cath hasn't done that!

Is it vintage?

Smash

"..but it's vintage.." I wail. "I can't just replace it." (Though between you and me I'll have a jolly good try!)  And this is currently what I've replaced my replacements with, and so far this month, apart from last week, we've had a clear run with no breakages. I love my glasses, just like I love my mugs, side plates and dinner plates.

 

Another reason I'm showing you the contents of our glasses cupboard is to show you my 'new' shelf edging. I found it in a shop in Leominster. A shop that sells the most beautiful, vintage (there's that word again) clothes and accessories. Racks of old tea dresses, aged hat boxes, Victorian nightdresses, perfume bottles, jewelery, sequined handbags, heavy velvet curtains and laced edged bed linen all jostle for space. I spend my time turning over the price tickets with bated breath hoping the item that caught my eye is within my price range. The only thing that I have ever bought from that shop is a tiny pillowcase and some old hankies for 50p each (subject for another post). That was until this time when in between the Chanel No5 bottle and the white evening gloves and next to the hat pins and cigarette holder, I saw this box.

No price.

"Excuse me, how much is this?" I enquire.

"Umm what is it?"

"Shelf edging." She studies the box carefully, turning it over and over.

"I'll have to ring the owner, hold on."

I wait for the inevitable £25 a metre, and study the box. Lakeland Plastics, no surely not! Now I have nothing against Lakeland but why was it in this shop where the youngest thing in there was me! Yeah, and that is saying something as my 44th birthday fast approaches. Too fast.

"She's not answering. Would £5 be alright?"

"Yes," I squeak, "I think it's from Lakeland by the way"

"Lakeland?!"

So now I just have to get my head around the whole plastic thing. I usually trim my shelves with real crochet lace which keeps falling off, but I've been seduced by the peel off and stick ,wipe clean instant gratification thing.

What do you think, does it look vintage?

£1 - yes £1

Go on, have a guess. What cost me £1?

Our new rug?

Or a bottle of Cath's very own bubble bath?

Mmm, now that's a quandary isn't it? Which one could it be? Well, would you believe both?

Yes, the rug was sourced at the Saturday car boot and the Cath Kidston Bubble Bath at the Sunday car boot. It was £1 a bottle!! OK, so it is damaged stock (a little leakage) but I went through them all to find the least damaged! Yeah, that's a little something that you don't know about me, and those that do will be groaning and reliving the mortification. In shops, if there is more than one item, I will study them all to find the best. My lovely friend Justine still reminds me of the afternoon in Habitat where I got out every single, identical, plastic laundry basket  to find the 'best unscratched one.' She says she'll never forget the embarrassment. Oh dear. This time with the Cath bubble bath I got them to open boxes until I found 3 that were presentable. Well, wouldn't you - my goodness you should have seen my eyes pop out when I saw them next to the butcher's van. At first I thought they were pirate copies - that someone had copied the labels - but no, the cap had Cath Kidston engraved around it, too hard to copy, so I slowly realised that they must have been damaged stock. Oh my friends, my first thought was for you all and how much some of you would have liked to be standing there with me, making a nuisance of yourself by asking ,very politely, if they would just open another of the Lemon & Geranium boxes. I would have loved to share my good fortune at finding genuine CK goodies for £1. Shame it was only bubble bath. I left with soapy hands and then tried to keep the bottles upright on the journey home in case they leaked some more. Not as easy as it seems.

What do you think of the rug? Our other one was black and I love it but it had been losing it's wool. I'm not sure about the cream - not practical but guess what, it doesn't show the cat hair!

I have decided to put my bits up for sale on Monday as we are going to Ludlow on Wednesday until Sunday. As I am doing an 'email me if you want one' sort of thing I thought it best to be at the other end of the email! So I'm sorry to drag this thing out and thank you for all your encouraging comments. Now where's that bubble bath..

Car Boot Madness

You know sometimes I just don't understand myself. I simply adore (rather too passionately now it seems) car boot sales but for years I never went to them. Ever. I just didn't see any and it never occurred to me to find any. Now this is a total enigma to me. Why did I never go? I just simply don't know but it still puzzles me. But lately things have changed. I rise early on Saturday morning (some feat in itself) and go to one, try to go to another on Saturday afternoon but this has eluded me so far. Sunday morning has me out of the house at before 8 am and then there is one later in the afternoon. To say I love it is an understatement, I simply live for the weekends when I can go to them. I find the whole experience fascinating. I love the banter, I love to see what people sell, what's the most common items sold, how they display it, what the cost is, how they relate to the buyers. It makes me somewhat sad too to see people selling off their elderly relative's belongings but it's those belongings that I love the most. Especially their button tin, sewing bits, embroideries and flowery things. I have found some fantastic items and all for very little money. What do you think of my...umm not sure of it's official name...linen basket?

It has a wonderful vintage padded lid. All for less than £2. Everyone here thinks it's vile but I keep trying to point out that is very Flea Market Style  which is what I'm trying to teach the girls to appreciate. Yeah, not really working that one and Tom is certainly a lost cause when it comes to my 'style' of anything..!

The car boot routine is as such;

• Feel the excitement mounting all week but equally start fretting about bad weather at the weekend canceling them.
• On Friday scour local paper to see if there could be any I've missed.
• Gaze at the sky at regular intervals on Friday night and repeatedly ask Anty if he thinks it will be dry weather.
• Watch weather forecasts on every channel and say a quick weather prayer last thing.
• Rise before anyone else, open bedroom window and thrust arm out into early morning gloom. Check for any dampness. If not wet grab a quick cup of tea, in a vintage mug and run for the door.
• Car playing up badly, this means lots of smoke and kangarooing for the first 2 minutes so need to go around the block twice in case it decides to break down. After doing this it rights itself. (Car now in garage, bill at over £200 and still don't know if they will fix the problem..)
• Arrive at car boot field. Heart beating rather fast. Decide my route. I'm off. Walk down the middle with my head going from side to side scanning the goods. If it looks promising I ask if they have items I'm looking for. Get into some lovely conversations. Practise a little bartering (though I'm not too good on that but trying to be more bold.)
• Begin to get laden down. Wish for the umpteenth time that I had a uncool shopping trolley. Do 2 laps of all the stalls. Feel that sad 'it's all over feeling' as I decide to go home.
• Excitedly return home with my wares. Make a cup of tea in different vintage mug (hopefully in one I have just found) and then slowly unpack all my treasures saying to anyone who will listen, "Guess how much this cost? Go on, guess! 20p/50p all this for £1" etc. Would you like to come with me next time? Go on, it's great. You wont? Why not, you'll find some good things?"
• Told to be quiet as the Rugby is on....so carry on unpacking silently. 

• Add my newly found books to my pile on my bedside table.

• Wash and place the most fantastic crochet blanket on Tom's bed.
• Find the above blanket thrown back on our bedroom floor. Decide that Tom doesn't really care if it is 'flea market cool', but I still put it back on his bed. Find it thrown back on our floor again and thus the poor blanket is still to-ing and fro-ing to this day. But I wont give up and I secretly think it's quite funny - the cruel, teasing mother I am!

So, on Sunday the disappointment of having to wait a whole week for the next one, looms large. I wonder if the weather be OK next weekend?

And so it goes on...