Vintage Pleasure

Smiles for Pennies

I thought I'd try and put a bit of vintage back in this old blog of mine. I kind of lost my thrifting mojo for a while there. Mainly down to the fact that I really needed to de-clutter but also combined with an overall change in my life's direction. I have recently managed to pick up a few treasures for pennies though that have really made me smile.

I picked up ths gorgeous leather satchel at January's Vintage Village it needs a little work to the handle but at £1 I really couldn't pass it up. Especially as I have been looking for one for ages.

Then on friday I went on a thrifty jaunt with the most lovely Mrs Thrifty herself (who I might add was remarkably restrained unlike me!) Amongst the heap of treasure I picked up, it was a very good day, was the floral glass on the left that cost me a whole 50p. I know crazy right?

On the same trip I picked up these gorgeous Purnell books for a mere 40p each. I don't believe you can ever have too many vintage Enid Blyton books do you? See the tablecloth they are sitting on? That only cost me 50p. Yep the thrifting has been so good recently.

 

Giving Back

 
                              Image used with kind permission of

                                          The Secret Teacup

Whilst we were stuck in our worst nightmare we were amazed by how well supported we were by our family and friends. By people we'd never even met and those who knew us well as friends. I say that Kitty is our miracle but the real miracle was how we all got carried through it feeling loved and looked after. From the first minute people showed us how much they cared. Not just in words but with real life out stretched hands. Kitty received almost 100 cards whilst she was in hospital. 100 people cared enough to send a card. We had to ration visitors and often had a queue waiting outside the ward. Leaving our other girls at home to take Kitty to hospital wasn't as hard as it sounds. We knew without asking that they would be looked after. We knew our families would hold them tight.I have no doubt that without us both there things may have been very different.With us there Kitty didn't waste any energy on fear. She says that she never even realised how poorly she was until afterwards. That was in no small part to us being able to focus all our energy on her. Whilst she was in hospital one of my lovely friends organised a food rota and each day somebody cooked a meal for us and delivered it to the house. She had enough volunteers to feed us for a month! We only needed a couple of weeks but I will forever be grateful.

Whilst we were in hospital we came across many families who weren't so lucky. Families separated by distance and finance. Mum's of babies who had been in hospital since their birth. Who hadn't seen their other children in months. Children who needed to be in hospital so frequently that people just seemed to have given up visiting. It made us realise even more just how blessed we are. It made us realise we have to give back. Not just as a thank you but because we can. So out of this developed a few things. One being Kitty's Thank You page but we want to do more so came up with this....

  

 

We are opening our home and hosting and Vintage Tea Party in our garden with a sale of vintage and craft items kindly donated by lovely friends both off and online. Ticket price includes a raffle ticket and full afternoon tea with both sweet and savoury delights and bottomless cups of tea. We have some stunning handcrafted and vintage items donated by amongst others these lovely people.

Tree Fall Design      Ted and Agnes         Lady Behave         

Village Vintage        Snapdragon             I'm a Ginger Monkey     

Victoria Whincup     Kitty Eden               Lu Summers           

Ruth Singer             Tin Trunk               Stuart Thornley

History's Attic          A Thrifty Mrs         Blueberry Park       

Thirty Five Flowers  La Chic Unique       Tea Experience           

Tea Box Online       Three Red Apples    Vintage Jelly           

French Knots

We are still looking for more vintage and craft donations and any items then they would be gratefully recieved so please do get in touch.

If you would like to join us and would like more details or to buy tickets then please leave a comment and I will get back to you. For your information we are in the Ashton-u-Lyne (East Manchester area) and we will give exact address when tickets are purchased.

My New Collecting Obsession

Not long ago I sold most of my utility chins collection. It's candy colours had lost it's charm to me and someone was willing to buy it. Since then we have been using crisp white china but just recently I have been hankering after some pops of colours. I think i've found in it vintage J & G Meakin pottery. So far I have some Rockfern, some Sunshine and some Flamenco. I'm looking forward to finding more in my thrifting trips. Is there anything you are looking for?

Change

I've had a change of mindset recently. I think the sucess of Agnes Darling has made me willing to let go of quite a few vintage treasures that I was holding onto. I am a hoarder by nature and being able to let go of things is such a freeing feeling. If I was into psycho babble I am sure there is some deep seated emotional reason.

Anyway one of the collections being downsized is my Johnson Brothers china set that we use daily and has built up over the years.I love it deeply but I fancy a change. I fancy some plain white plates with pops of colour here and there.

It is all housed in the kitchen dresser and when it disappears it will look rather sad so I am looking for inspiration on how to make white china look not all white.

 

1. cute kitchen shelves, 2. shelves, 3. The Kitchen Hutch, 4. dinning room dresser, 5. Wreath on kitchen dresser, 6. Voewood kitchen dresser, 7. Kitchen Dresser, 8. kitchen dresser, 9. kitchen shelves, 10. kitchen-shelf, 11. Kitchen shelves, 12. My kitchen shelves

Of course for inspiration I looked to Flickr. Next stop Tumblr then books and mags.

Coffee Time

I've always been a tea drinker but just recently I have developed a taste for coffee. Which has obviously led me to vintage coffee pots and cups. Obviously.

 
I saw this set in a charity shop before Christmas but I already had too heavy a bag to carry and too light a purse so I left it. So I was very happy when it was still there, on the shelf, waiting for me this afternoon.

 

I'm not sure whether it will find a permanent home here or will end up in the shop. Until I decide though I don't think me using it a few times will matter do you?

Thrifting Serendipity

Don't you just love it when the perfect thrifting score comes just at the right time and in the right place?

I made an cheeky impulse bid on a beautiful Victorian nursing chair on ebay. Never expecting to be the highest bidder.

It was local pick up and after the initial shock, and wondering where to put it, we soon realised it was the perfect height for Josie to practice guitar. She just started lessons and is totally loving it.

An added bonus is that it actually looks pretty good in the playroom. After a few years of not being happy with the way that room looked I am actually starting to enjoy spending time in there again.Which is just as well as that is where my sewing stuff is kept.

I'm looking forward to cosy, winter evenings creating in there. The fire on and listening to the beautiful sound of a guitar playing.With maybe Kitty playing on the piano too. Lovely Christmas carols and festive ditties.  Well I can dream can't I ? Will probably be more like squabbles about who's turn it is over the noise of the TV but lets not go there.

 

Gone

Everytime I have been to my favourite charity shop for the last 5yrs or so there has been a big box of vintage Puffin and Penguin books.All glorious in beautiful colours their spines looking like a colourful barcode.I have enjoyed browsing through them and picking a few now and then.Ones with unusual titles or familiar favourites.I thought I had the luxury of time to build my collection because they have always been there.Would always be there.

Now they are gone.I cannot believe it and do not know where they have gone to.The lovely volunteer in charge of the books was not there to ask. I am hoping that they have been temporarily mis-placed and will be returned for my next visit. 

I wonder though whether Debbie has been and bought them all.I know she has a penchant for old Puffins and Penguins.

Things I Would Love Part 1

Yesterday's post got me thinking of other childhood toys I remember.One of them was a Fisher Price dog that you could pull along and as you did it made a noise. I remember getting into trouble by an old gentlemen who mistakenly thought I was dragging a real dog along and not very gently. As a timid little soul I was mortified but luckily my dad thought it was hilarious and made me smile.

                                                 via     Vintage Goodness

I'm going to add him to my thrifty wish list.

Is there any toy you vividly remember from your childhood?

Childhood Treasures

Whilst scanning some old photos I came across this one of me aged about 7 months. Got to say I love that cot bumper...Mum why didn't you keep it?!

It got me thinking about childhood toys and the memories they conjure up. See that white bear on the right  with the polka dot bow? My Auntie Kath bought me that along with a white rabbit. We were inseparable back then and still are today really.

 

They might not sleep with me every night anymore but I do see them every bedtime. They are displayed in IKEA box frames at the top of the attic stairs,just outside the little girls bedroom.

I treated them to a little vintage wallpaper because they deserve it. I smile everytime I see them and they hold such sweet memories.

I wonder which toys will hold the same charm for my girls when they are my age?

A Little Bit Of Yellow

I have always loved yellow.Not the pale lemon variety but the punchy citrus yellows that really make a statement. In every home I have had there has been a yellow wall somewhere except this home now. Just recently I have been drawn to a few homes that use yellow as an accent colour. So imagine how pleased I was when I came across this little beauty for 50p.

 

Hubby is not too convinced.He made some comment about it looking like a memorial urn but I am not going to let his lack of taste get to me.

 

No I'm going to keep on loving my little bit of yellow.