Plonked

Do you remember what I said in my last post about stalking the bric-a-brac tables at jumble sales?  Just in case you missed my *cough* sage words *cough*, I did mention that it was worthwhile revisiting the bric-a-brac tables at jumbles because helpers sometimes put out extra stuff or you simply just miss seeing something good the first time around.

Well, on my second trawl around the bric-a-brac tables recently,  I found not one

not two

not three

but six of these little beauties.  For my collection.  All for 30p.

Massively exciting, I know you'll agree.  But my problem has always been how to display them.   I've seen on the internet that some people hang them on walls but we just haven't got the wall space in our kitchen.

From here

Some pop them into frames but then you've got the problem of finding suitable frames and we've still got the lack of wall space issue.



From here

Some pop them into interesting looking receptacles:

I had originally plonked them (and when I say plonked, I really mean plonked) in a vintage aluminium measuring jug that I picked up from the Guides Bazaar for 50p:

But now that I've got so many of the darn things, the jug just won't do. 

So I got this basket from here (a tenner) and plonked (there's that word again) in it my now, rather large collection of utensils.

Not the most beautifully displayed, I know, but what is a body to do!  Mr J and P says that I'm a basket case.  I'm ignoring him, and not for the first time....xx

Crawling out of the woodwork

Yes, I've finally surfaced.  Whaddya mean you hadn't noticed I'd been away?  Cheeky.  It's all this going to bed early mallarky.  It leaves me no time to do anything.  Blogging included.  Yeah, I know, I'm such a saddo.  I need to get a life.

When I've not been an A1 dullard, I've been taking photos of my recent jumble sale spoils.  Wanna butchers?

Four of these blue dishes for 30p:

A cute Holkam pottery lidded bowl for 50p:

My new compost bin (50p):

Two single sheets and two pillow slips in this:

A handy jumble sale tip.  It's always a good idea to keep stalking the bric-a-brac table/s as sometimes, new stuff gets put out or you simply spot something that you didn't spot the first time round - often because it was lurking underneath something else.  Take this little beaut which I spotted on my second trawl around the bric-a-brac.  It was covered in cutesy animal figurines (they were horrid) and all I saw was this:

Once cutesy and horrid ornaments were removed and lo and behold, it's a fabulous glass covered tray with a Vernon Ward print.  A mere 30p.

Another handy jumble sale tip is don't be scared of grubby.  One of my favourite purchases, my large enamel colander which I use as a fruit bowl was, on first sight, not pretty. 

Scrubbed up a treat though.

Neither was this:

I'd been searching for a mirror to go into our not so newly wallpapered loo for ages.  Mirrors on ebay cost far too much especially when you factor in delivery and I really didn't want to pay a lot.  Anyway, this mirror was lurking in a box under the bric a brac tables and not only was it hideously grubby but it was sticky.  Readers, I'm not squeamish but it was seriously sticky.  Eeeewww!  So sticky and grubby in fact that I baulked at the 50p the helper wanted to charge me.  Well, Mr J and P was more than happy to pay 50p for it and after a good scrub, it's not half bad. 

We went away for a week over Easter to visit Grandpappy J and P in the Lake District and one of the topics of conversation was who was the most embarassing parent. According to Little Miss J and P, little old me is the most embarassing * shock horror*.  Mainly because I'm, in her words, "always singing and humming." In public too. Perfectly normal behaviour in my book.

Grandpappy J and P (aka Mr J and P's dad) was definitely the most embarassing parent according to his offspring. When Mr J and P and brother lived at home, Grandpappy frequently used to take himself off for a walk wearing his dressing gown over his clothes and clutching a cup of tea.

Mr J and P's bruv told me of the time that Grandpappy turned up at his school to some event wearing the shortest of shorts (as was the fashion in the 70s), a wide brimmed straw hat (probably a woman's) and smoking the stub of a cigar. Classic.

Grandpappy, I salute you.  After all, we embarrassing parents must stick together.

How about you?  Are you an embarrassing parent and, if so, why?  How did your parents succeed in embarrassing you?  Do tell.  I want to hear all the gory details.   xx



In which I spend £1.20 and skip off into the sunset

Imagine my crushed and disappointed little face when I pulled up outside this on Saturday afternoon:

All my hopes of jumble sale largesse cruelly dashed.

Rewind to a few weeks ago on a Saturday afternoon (when the sun shone and the temperature was in double figures) and I persuaded Mr and Little Miss J and P that they'd like to go for a walk in the wilds of Hertfordshire.  As luck would have it *cough* what would we chance upon but a jumble sale at this very same place.  How fortuitious! *cough*.

So, what did I get?  Well, I got this little lot for whole one pound.

A pair of fabulous polyester brown curtains with orange and yellow flowers:

A pristine towel:

Some yummy fabric:



A funky NEXT bag:



Have you noticed how I've taken to draping my buys over my latest freebie? Yes!  I spotted this little Ikea rocking chair outside the house of a near neighbour and when I asked him if I could take it off his hands, he was more than happy.  Whoop whoop!

Anyway, where was I?

An apron which looks remarkably like one of my vintage pillow cases.  Which is a good thing in my book.



There was nothing much doing on the bric-a-brac stall but I did manage to find this cute little print for 20p:

It's by Archie Dickens



Total spend - £1.20.  Jumble sales, don't you just love 'em?  Where else could you spend £1.20 and come away away with such random tat and then toddle off for a lovely walk in the countryside *sigh*.

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Nobody's perfect

Recently, A Thrifty Mrs wrote about making things just for the fun of it and not worrying too much about it being perfect.  As she says "Ditch perfection and get excited about crafting again.".  Well I've literally taken her at her word.

I've always liked a bit of gluing and sticking.  So when I found this dull looking photo frame recently at the jumble sale (50p),

I remembered my vintage sheet fabric scraps which I couldn't bear to throw away (I know, I'm a nutter)

and started gluing them onto the frame like so.

Until the whole darn frame was covered.

I wrapped the ends and glued them down at the back, varnished and added a teeny tiny pompom trimming

and a picture of Little Miss J and P.

Lo and behold it's an imperfect, slightly cack-handed vintage sheet embellished photo frame! 

As Somerset Maugham once said:

Yeah, too right bruv.


Ta-dahing with my homies over at Lakota's.  Yo!

You're just too good to be true, I can't take my eyes off you

I've whipped up ANOTHER patchwork blanket.  I know!  I can't help myself.

One blanket after another.  When will it end?

I'm like a patchworking whirling dervish.

You can call me the Pontiff of Patchwork - and I ain't resignin' ....

...........Where was I?  Aah yes.  My latest patchwork blanket.  The thing about vintage sheets is I can't decide whether I like the candy stripe best:

even if it's creased to buggery

Or the flowery:

The candy stripe or the flowery.  *Sigh* decisions, decisions.... 



You'd be like heaven to touch
I wanna hold you so much


Well, I've only gone and combined the two.

 

At long last love has arrived
And I thank God I'm alive



 Patchwork flower power with a candystripe backing.

You're just too good to be true
I can't take my eyes off you

 I've used a thicker wadding than I've used before and it's a bit like a duvet - all snuggly and cuddly.

Pardon the way that I stare
There's nothing else to compare

  

 I want to bury my head in it and squeal for joy.  As any right thinking woman would.

The sight of you leaves me weak

 Life could not get any better.

 

There are no words left to speak

Take it away, Andy......