Posy

The Last Couple of Days

Yesterday

Going to school..'the lanes way.'

Can you see the Cow Parsley starting to froth - just waiting for me to stop the car and pick it! And the Red Campion (which I still call Pink Campion) has just arrived too I noticed; it looks lovely with the bluebells dotted around it. Yes, Spring is here along with it's very changeable weather, sun, torrential rain, strong winds, all in the space of an hour.

Today

Charity Shop finds.

..the blanket, in case you're wondering!  It's not very big, and the squares are actually much smaller than they appear in the photo, but perfect for snuggling on the sofa. Might even try again to put it on Tom's bed though I don't hold out much hope!

And some 70's pillowcases. Very flea market. I'm starting a collection of those bright, floral 70's (?) pillowcases as Lucy actually showed a smidgen of interest in them. So these might grace her bed.

..and lastly a peep at my almost planted up garden.  After many months of neglect and lack of enthusiasm on my part I had a lovely weekend last week getting reacquainted. Let's hope the sun stays around for the next.

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!

Clandestine Meetings

It was my habit of chatting to strangers that brought about a unique event for me during our stay in Ludlow.  I chat. A lot. To everyone and anyone but especially to old ladies. I like old ladies.  I was in an antique/junk shop in Leominster; a shop that went on for floors and floors and rooms and rooms and found a sweet vintage pillowcase for sale. When paying, sensing my pleasure at finding it, the lady who served me asked me if I 'liked that sort of thing and if I used them?'  Do I like that sort of thing??? I then gave her the full answer complete with descriptions of my linen cupboard and how long it took me to change our bedlinen (including the deliberations of whether it should be stripy, plain or floral topped with an eiderdown or crochet blanket. Embroidered pillowcases, or a lace trimmed bedspread or vintage blankets etc) and how I adore embroidered tablecloths and vintage hankies and that I think I was born in the wrong era. When her eyes finished glazing over she mentioned to me that she had 3 boxes of linens...would I be interested in them? Uh no! Of course I would! So that's how I found myself meeting an elderly lady in a Ludlow car park the next day for an 'exchange of goods!'

I had to smile at the craziness of it all and relished the look on Anth's face when I told him what I had arranged, though he says nothing surprises him anymore.  I spent hours before the meeting driving everyone crazy with my fretting at what would happen if I didn't like what she brought (and she'd gone to all that trouble) should I go through every item, how much she would she charge me, should I barter or would that be terribly rude.

So the next day I drove to the car park and looked out for a blue Nissan Micra.  I'm not sure if Ludlow has a drug problem but it could have the beginnings of a 'vintage linen' problem because if you look carefully on the car park CCTV I'm sure you will see 2 strange ladies exchanging money and 3 boxes being carried from one car to another.

This could be the start of a new habit!

My Kit

Can you guess what 'kit' this is for? The wellington boots are for the long wet grass and my new, funky, groovy, incredibly wonderful shopping trolley is for my treasures.  Yes, it's my new 'Car Boot Survival Kit' and I'm hoping to put it to good use tomorrow morning (please God let there be no snow storms this week!)  I'm thrilled with my shopping trolley.  I found it at Gazebo in Totnes on Friday - it was expensive but hopefully I will be using it a lot and not just for car boot sales.  The children think it's totally hideous and are refusing to go out with me if I have it; they think they now have proof that I'm officially 'an old lady.'  Well, I could go the whole hog and carry my crochet around in it and really embarrass them!

Tomorrow we are going to Ludlow for a few days so I'll be having a little blog break.  I have been particularly busy recently and apologise for not answering my emails - I will as soon as we return. And yes, my trolley will be going with me!

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!

Miss Matty

I was so fortunate to have won a Christmas Giveaway the other day, from Nicky at The Vintage Magpie. And guess what I won; the sweetest little rabbit handmade by Nicky herself. 

Say hello to Miss Matty.

She came beautifully wrapped and I managed to resist opening her until Christmas Day.

Thank you, Nicky, I had thought I would give her away as a gift to one of my nieces but as you can see I can't bear to part with her! And I urge you all to go spend sometime visiting Nicky's lovely blog because she sells her handmade rabbits and bears.

And as for sweet Miss Matty - she has certainly made herself very much at home..

My little un-black book

I've been waiting for quite awhile for Cath to bring out an address book; and when she did I completely missed it until I happened to walk into Gazebo in Totnes the other day.

It's lovely. Each letter has a different design - the above being my favourite - well I think it is. There are so many to choose from.

So no little black book for me just a little flowery one. What else! Now just need to fill it. My pen just hovers...why can't I bring myself to write on it's beautiful pages.

I'll try again tomorrow...

Chocolate Boxes

Now I can't quite remember if I have shown you this before; if I have then I'm sorry. Humour me and pretend you have never seen it before.  It's an old chocolate box. Can anyone tell me why they don't make chocolate boxes like this anymore? Why on earth not?

This is one I found in Ludlow a few months ago and I use it to store my unopened packets of vintage ric-rac and pieces of lace etc.

And this one I know I have shown you before, but it completes my collection. Yeah, my huugge collection of..2! But I'm a lucky girl to have 2, oh yes. And if any chocolate manufacturers are reading this, please can you make your boxes like this again.

Vintage mugs

I have recently found the odd vintage mug in my hunting and gathering days. I have always loved flowery mugs and have a huge collection, but I'm loving these 4 odd, vintage beauties.

I particularly love the ones on the front row, far left and far right; and if you happened to be hovering outside our home you will this cry resonating from within it's white walls many times a day,

"Can someone make me a cup of tea, please! I'll have it in my vintage Pa mug (my father has one similar, hence Pa)"

Or it could be vintage violets, vintage fat one (oh, that could be me!) or vintage with gold. (I've told you before that I have odd names for things!) Or sometimes I ask them to surprise me.

I then wait to see if my request has been carried out and what mug they have chosen. Oh yes, there are some wonderful advantages to having 'old-enough-to- make-tea' children, let me tell you.

So friends, I wish you could choose your favourite mug from my collection and join me in a spot of tea. I'll even light the fire..now that would be nice.

Button Love

Let me tell you, friends, I've been a lucky girl. A very lucky girl. Just look at these mother-of-pearl buttons, all found as I scrabbled around in various button tins, in various charity shops, in various towns. Yeah, quite a lot of towns and even more charity shops. Bliss.

My method is the same wherever I go. My eyes quickly scan the shop for pillowcases, embroideries, fabrics, china, glasses, tins, magazines, books, and brooches. I can do this in seconds. I then ask the shop volunteers if they have any buttons, threads and sewing paraphernalia. This then leads into a, "Ooh, I'm not sure, I'll go and have a look." Or, more often, "Oh, we did have but someone bought it all the other day."  Mmm..I smile sweetly, thank them,then try and hide my disappointment and kick myself for not coming sooner.

But over the last month I have had some amazing finds. Armed with the shop's button tin, I go and sit in a quiet corner and start to rummage. Oh, the pleasure when my beady eye spies some pearly beauties, usually forgotten at the bottom of the tin. I have found square, oval, even triangular ones. Some so tiny they have nearly been missed. But no, I have scooped them all up and then take them to the counter.

"How much are these buttons?" I ask.

"Ooh, I don't know...30p?"

Yes, I know, I know..30p! Though, I must admit that I have paid more in different places, but not that much more. I have even bought the whole tin before, though I tried not to think of the poor person, like me, who will come into the shop in the future and be told that someone bought them all the other day.. yes, I do feel bad and I know your pain!

It hasn't just been mother-of-pearl buttons that have gladdened my heart. I bought these vintage diamante numbers on Thursday. Unfortunately, they weren't 30p - far from it - but I thought they would add a little something to the bits I am sewing. Talking about my sewing, I will be selling my latest 'bits' on this blog in the next few weeks. I have decided that it will be easier to do this rather than open an Etsy shop. So, watch this space (but don't get too excited!)

And my £1 glass jar; I found this at 7.45am on Sunday morning in the middle of a damp, misty field.. ah, yes a British car boot...the only thing that will rouse me from my bed before 9am at the weekend. That and the thought of discovering some long forgotten pearl buttons!