Friday 10 December 2010

Cold Turkey and Xmas Prezzies

Well, I have to admit that I've been in "cold turkey" the whole week.  Our internet connection has been down for 6 miserable days and I haven't had the opportunity to read any of my favourite blogs - boo hoo!  I'm champing at the bit to see what's been happening in lovely blog land.  However, before I do, I thought I'd show you what I've been buying for Xmas prezzies this year.

Last year, I made a number of prezzies for friends and family (lucky old them, I hear you cry!) - lots of snake draught excluders, knitted wrist bands with a skull and crossbones motif for Little Miss J and P and cousin, a black knitted tissue cosy with skull and crossbones motif and a white pompom embellishment for my lucky sister in law and a pair of knitted mittens with, you guessed it, a skull and crossbones motif, for the very lucky Mr J and P.  (Mittens for men.  Discuss.)  Sorry, no pics to show you as Little Miss J and P, who's extremely scatty, managed to lose the wristbands almost instantaneously, and Mr J and P, who wears his mittens incessantly (so he tells me) is at work at the mo.

Anyway, enought of this nonsense.  This year, I've been scouring charity shops, Xmas Bazaars and the like for gifts.  Here is what I've got, so far:

A large linen table cloth (£2 at a Xmas Bazaar):



The Merry Game of Floundering.  20p from a Xmas Bazaar.  A fine old game where each player has to put together a flounder by throwing the dice where each section of the flounder corresponds to the number on the dice:


A game right up my street (20p Xmas Bazaar):


The object of this game is "to dress a character with clothes from the Jumble Sale as quickly as possible however odd the result".  Here are the characters "before"......:


And after:



I got these delightful gifts at a Vintage Fair for £1 each (wish I'd bought more). 



They are only a few centimetres wide and tall and contain.....


Can you tell?  Plastic "snap" rain bonnets from the 1960s.  Jumbo size with 3 different fastenings to accommodate your beehive.  How wonderful is that!  I remember my mum having the exact same thing.

Still on a rainy theme, this large Cath Kidston rain cape in fabulous nick - £3 from a charity shop:


Some old books (50p each from the charity shop).  Think I may keep The Nun's Story - loved that film.


Remember these Murano glass fish?  They were all the rage once weren't they?  £3 charity shop buy.



A rather battered bread bin.  But I rather like it for its batteredness.  A present to myself for £10 from the Vintage Fair.




An apron which Mr J and P bought from the Charity Shop - £1.50.  I've taught him well haven't I, dear readers?



A revolving desk calendar which I've just won on ebay.  A tenner.  A little expensive, but it's a thing of great beauty, I'll have you know!




Hope your Xmas shopping is going well. I'm off now to read blogs with a cup of coffee and a mince pie. Huzzah!

22 comments:

  1. Wow, you have done well with your purchases. I really like your desk calendar, I would quite happily have that!
    x

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  2. You always manage to find such wonderful vintage items it amazes me
    xx fee

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  3. What fabulous finds! I remember flounders from when I was little, great game. Great price on the rain cape. And the little desk calender is just delightful, definitely worth a tenner. x

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  4. You do find some great things, i love the snap bonnets and I really love your desk calender too, its a ripper!

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  5. Fantastic buys, I especially love the board games! The desk calendar is so sweet! Why can I never find such lovely things! :) x

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  6. What brilliant finds. I love those glass fish, but the ones I see in charity shops are generally a lot more than you paid :)
    The rain cape was a bargain too, and I love the table cloth, and the rain hoods :0)
    Have a great weekend,
    Donna

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  7. Wow what fab presents and some great finds ;-) That murano fish is a real gem and you had a real bargin because down this way they are a expensive. Have a lovely weekend. dee x

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  8. Woiw you did well
    Julie xxxxxxxx

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  9. All lovely lovely things - My grandad used to have that calender - why did we throw it away!!!!!!? xxxx

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  10. That tablecloth and desk calendar are now on my wish list too! :)

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  11. Lovely finds Loo, well done. Oh dear I remember those plastic rain hats!!
    Jo xx

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  12. I can't stop going back to look at the games. They both look absolutely brilliant fun to play. Oh they don't make them like that anymore (hark at me sounding about 90!).

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  13. Crikey! So many great finds! It's been slim pickings around here lately, even my fave charity shops have been practically empty.
    Hope you have a great week.
    x

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  14. Great finds - well done! I'm posting this at a friend's, as I have no internet coonection this week - it's a nightmare, isn't it?! I hate being without it. Have a good week. Wish me luck with BT :)

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  15. I love that Jumble Sale game!!! It looks brilliant fun!

    I'm always nervous of making presents for people (outside my immediate family, natch), in case they take my creative genius as homemade tat!!!

    I'm glad you're back online....I've been missing you.

    Sarahx

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  16. Hi again Loo,

    Did you know that when you leave a comment, if I try to reply by email, it comes up as 'no reply' in your email address. I've emailed you a few times and wondered why I hadn't heard back from you!!! Then last night I suddenly wondered if you had your settings as 'no reply'...and you do!!

    Anyway...are we ever going to see your legendary plastic bag wreath?!!

    Sarahxx

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  17. Love the bread bin, it's good to treat yourself now and again-and still cheaper than buying new! Linda x

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  18. such wonderful finds, they will make really lovely unusual gifts (or treats for yourself!) - love that vintage table cloth and bread bin, rustic but so charming all the same! Jenny x

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  19. Oh yeah ... Flounders - we used to spend hours as kids playing that. Had completely forgotton about it til I saw it here. Great finds!

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  20. Haven't you done well!
    I so want one of those jumble Sale games! Never ever seen one before. That would be a must for us to play!
    Lisa x

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  21. Wow what an awesome haul of stuff! We have a breadbin just like that in my Mum's kitchen. She found it abandoned in a storage garage; it was a bit battered like yours, but she has a wooden lid made for it and it looks great now. I can't believe that like Diane, my Grandad has that little calendar in his house! My Nana and him hoard so many nik naks like that.
    x

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