Living the Dream

I'm punching the air
Like I just don't care
Yeah.

Ooh, hark at me, I've come over all poetic.

It's being the lucky recipient of blog giveaways what's done it.  Yeah.

Look at all this lusciousness:

Top Row:  Pins & Needles mag, wooden cotton reel, lacey trim and buttons from Miss Ginger Makes;  Lots of  fabulous stuff from Carolyn of Fashionista Sisters including tea, coffee, chocolate, tea towels, books, a mug and ribbons in her Teatime giveaway; Middle row:  the most gorgeous owl bag made by RosieHearts; the book "Where Women Create" from Sarah B from ShabbyChicSarah with inspirational photos that I've been drooling over on a daily basis

Thank you so much, ladies (and apologies for my rubbish attempt at photo mosaicing).

I did enjoy reading the 1955 issue of Pins and Needles that Miss Ginger sent me.  There's tons of makes to erm... make.  How about this stupendous chick-a-dee handbag perfect for the "discerning young lady":

Never mind knitting this cardie for a little boy or girl, I rather fancy it for myself:

Nothing planned this weekend?  Luckily Pins and Needles have "weekend workshop" projects to keep you busy.  How about making this "delightful modern couch" from an old door and mattress:

Not challenging enough for you?  Well, you could tackle this "versatile" "L" shaped table instead:

It's "smart, practical and easy to make".  Easy to make, my arse.  Look at those scarey diagrams on the left - eeek!

And if that wasn't scarey enough, what about this adjustable see-saw with its "gay horseheads with hand grips and adjustable pivot point". Blimey, it's a bit more demanding than fiddling with my buttons!

One last thing.  It's official.  I'm living the dream.

I've been approached by the manager of one of my local charity shops (well, I go in there often enough) and as of next week, I will be working for a couple of hours a week IN A CHARITY SHOP!!!!

I'm EXTREMELY excited.  Can you tell?

Mr J and P says I'm only doing it to get first dibs on the donations.  How dare he cast such uncharitable aspersions!

I've been approached by the manager before but I decided not to volunteer my services as I don't like him.  He's an annoying little man with a rasping voice who likes to be surrounded by his "ladies", especially on a Saturday when the volunteers are mainly school girls (eeewww).  Hopefully, I won't have anything much to do with him as he doesn't work on the day that I'll be working *breathes sigh of relief*.

Gotta dash.  Must make a start on one of those ridiculously difficult weekend projects..... Pass me the power tools, Mr J and P........... xx

Jumble Spoils

It seems an aaaage since I banged on about my luvverly jumble sale buys.  Brace yourselves, dear readers, it's going to be long one.

These embroidered pillow cases were in pristine nick:

50p the lot

Sheet (left) and pillow cases (right) atop yet another candy stripe sheet.

I have plans for the sheets I've been collecting.  I'm going to shamelessly copy Kylie's fabulous idea for a vintage sheet quilt and attempt to make a duvet cover.  Eek!  I'll keep you posted.

Kylie's magnificent quilt cover

Not one flowerytastic handmade tea towel completely unused:

but four of the gorgeous little buggers.  All for a quid.

OMG, look at this profusion of flowers and colours all on ONE tea towel (also handmade):

More unrestrained floral goodness on this unused towel:

Complete with its original sticker:

Four of these embroidered thingamajigs that go on the backs of chairs.

I'm collecting these embroidered thingies as well as tray towels and the like as I'd really like to make this patchwork cushion cover:

Gorgeous innit?  From the CK book "Patch".

Lordy, more flowers in the shape of these Portmeirion Botanic Garden jars circa 1972:

I need jars like I need a hole in the head but, at 25p each, they were crying out for me.

A kitschy black swan vase for 30p:

Yay for more wooden handled kitchen utensils.  As some of you may know, this is yet another one of my collections.  The red handled objet is a knife sharpener - that I know for sure.  The blue looks to me to be measuring spoons - the teaspoon on the left and tablespoon on the right:

But why do these spoons have a hole in them?  Pray tell me do:

A Toni Raymond pickled onion pot for 50p for my friend who collects those beetroot pots and celery pots of a similar ilk:

Seeing as someone, who shall remain nameless, broke one of my prize vases recently, this Trentham jug (30p) has come in handy:

Look!  Look!  Can you tell that I'm virtually hysterical?  I've got my very own printer's tray:

A mere quid!

The printer's tray caused mass excitement among the oldsters as I hauled it around the jumble sale.  They kept stopping me and  a) asking me if I knew what it was, b) telling me what it was  and c) asking me what I was going to do with it.  All of which was a little annoying as all I wanted to do was to carrying on rummaging for booty.  Well really!

So, what AM I going to do with it?  I love that Lakota transformed  hers into an earring storage unit here.  Unfortunately, I don't wear earrings anymore (I know, I'm a shocking dullard) but I do have a little collection, that I haven't told you about, which is currently gathering dust on a window sill.  It could gather dust in the  printer's tray instead!  Genius!  I'll let you know.......

Good grief, I'd forgotten about these.  More embroidered doodahs and stripey sheets:

And finally, (sighs of relief all round) an egg cup to add to my collection of egg cups.  (Do you know, I honestly didn't realise that I had quite so many collections on the go!).  This one isn't vintage at all.  Made by the Italian design company, Alessi, this little fella currently retails for a tenner.  Mine was 20p!

You may be wondering why he has a little peaked cap.... why, to store the salt, of course:

Excitement is reaching fever pitch here at J and P Towers because this weekend is the St Mary's Xmas Bazaar.  Whoop Whoop!    Little Miss J and P is excited because she and her fellow little Girl Guide mates are helping out and that means that little old moi will need to take her along early so that they can  set up the stalls which means that I'll be eyeing up the booty before everyone else!!  Huzzah!  Oh the heady world that is my life.......

Wishing you all an equally exciting weekend.  xx

The Joy of Buttons

I enjoyed a very pleasant Saturday afternoon recently playing with my buttons.

I know how to live, don't I?

I spent a great deal of  time: running my fingers through my collection of buttons:

gasping with wonderment and awe at the cornucupia of colours and styles

and squealing with excitement when I came across ones I'd forgotten I had.

Mr J and P has just read what I've written and says that he's a little worried that people might think I'm stark raving bonkers.  I told him that he shouldn't worry as my readers know exactly what I'm on about when it comes to buttons.  We love our buttons don't we?

Anyway, before I come across as being completely insane, I didn't just spend all my time idly stroking my buttons.  Not me.  I actually managed to make something with them.

I found some thin stretchy elastic lurking in the sewing box and with the help of a tutorial from youtube (I used this one here ) I made button bracelets.

Bracelet number one:

Bracelet number two is quite possibly my favourite.  Made with these larger and textured buttons, they look a little like flowers to my (delusional) mind:

Bracelet number three, in bright colours, for Little Miss J and P:

If you want a quick crafty fix that even a simpleton can muster, then I can assure you that button bracelets are the way forward.

Happy weekend everyone! xx

Out of Touch

Hola amigos.  We're back from a week away in Spain.  And very nice it was too apart from a little more rain than I would like.  In fact, the week before we arrived, there was so much rain that just outside Benidorm at a beach that we visit regularly, flash floods gushed down from the mountains along a dry river bed and swept away into the sea everything in its wake, including market stalls and, tragically, two British tourists.

Days later, while we were there, items from the market stalls were still being washed up on the beach.

*shudder*.

One thing I did before the flight to Spain was to treat myself to two "home/style" magazines.

Now, I very rarely buy mags.  I find that there's never anything particularly interesting to read in them but I do like a good ogle at decor and beautiful things that I don't need.

Flipping through the mags, I quickly realised that I'm completely out of touch with how much things in the "real" world of retail cost (it's buying from charity shops and jumble sales what does it).

I found myself  gasping with horror at the prices.

Take this rather glorious knitted pouffe (click on the pics to take you to the websites, if you so desire):

I love it.  But not the price - ranges from £470 for the small size to £1395 for the large.  Ouch!

Loving too this hand knitted cushion:

It's yours for £75.

More gorgeous knitted things in the shape of  lightshades:

£120

These granny pendant light shades are to die for are they not?:

£305 for the small & £715 for the large

Boo hoo!  Sadly, they are all out of my price range.

Never fear, dear readers, blogs are at hand with patterns so that  you can knit or crochet your very own.  Yay!  Well, I'm talking about one blog in particular that I like to stalk on a regular basis. You crafty types may already be familiar with Pickles but, if not, check out their rather wonderful patterns, all for free.

Fancy being able to crochet your own pouffe?  Well now you can:

This gorgeous pouffe creation is knitted.  Both versions are stuffed with old duvets.

This crocheted light shade fits round one of those ubiquitous paper shades:

Crocheted lampshade:

While we're at it, you can even crochet your own knobs (get your minds out of the gutter right now).  Look at these cutesy coverings for boring old knobs:

Anyway, I digress.

I can't vouch for how easy any of these projects are but I'm sure some of you clever crafters out there could rustle up a pouffe or two.

I might just be able to muster a knitted cushion cover thanks to my "Wendy Odd Ounce Book" that I picked up from the charity shop recently:

Yummy square cushions and the rather lovely yellow round one:

Back to my magazines.  A stone doorstop anyone?  Yes, I did say stone.

Yes, it's literally a stone with some sort of  loop attachment.  £55.

Luckily, I've got my very own stone doorstop.  And it was totally  free from the beach at Lyme Regis many moons ago.

Complete with fossil too:

Finally, I've got more picture frames than you can shake a stick at but it still doesn't stop me from lusting after even more.

These swept frames can cost a pretty penny:

These frames I found in a nearby skip:

Woohoo, I do love a freebie, don't you?