Sunday Booty - A Queer Adventure

Thank you for your comments regarding my last post. I was begining to wonder if the price hike was in my imagination but it seems that there are quite a few sellers out there who are wanting top dollar for their used goods. Maybe they think they are celebrities?

Sunday I was supposed to be at a dog show but having been under the weather all week with a sore tummy I didn't fancy a long journey to the opposite side of the country and elected to visit the usual booty for an hour in the morning instead.

I bought three vintage Enid Blyton books for 20p each. The third one is 'Folk of the Faraway tree' and I haven't a clue where I put it or why the book from the previous day is in the shot instead?

Spot the unusual title on the centre one? I know its missing its origninal dust jacket but with a title like that my bet is that it's anti-PC and has either been renamed or withdrawn from publication. Again the Faraway tree is mentioned and two children climb into the Land Of The Stupids.... sometimes I wonder if I'm living in that land - especially when I hit the supermarket.

The pretty vintage embroidered hankie case was 20p. I can't leave old linens at that price they simply have to come home with me.

Three watches for 50p each. None of them working LOL as they all need new batteries.

The DH said to me, 'why have you bought broken watches?Its cheaper buying a new watch."

Anyhow, I went to our local shopping centre a couple of days after and asked at the watch menders how much he charged to fit a new battery? £3.99 he said!

I walked away.

A little further on I went into poundland for some of their cheap springwater (lovely BTW) and spotted a huge pack of watch/calculator batteries for £1. I picked them up and showed them to the DH later that day.

He shook his head, "You don't even know if they fit and you need a special tool to get the back off."

I pulled out a pack of tiny screwdrivers we bought years ago, flipped off the back, loosened a screw and fitted a battery. Now I have three watches and they all work :-)

I'm thinking of a new career fitting watch batteries now.

(and don't you just love proving someone wrong?)

Do you like this little charm bracelet? Another 50p find. Brand new, the girl selling it said it was an unwanted present and unused.

I bought another bag from the same girl. Brand new in bag and from some museum. This is one side

And here is the other. This is one I can roll up and pop in the bottom of a handbag. Cost £1. More than I'd normally pay but it is unusual.

On the wardrobe front I made four purchases.

A pair of brand new Per Una jeans for £1, a Per Una raggedy shirt for 50p (I love Per Una - always washes well), Jane Norman top for 50p and a lovely yellow and black t- dress for 50p again.

The yellow t- dress is brilliant for this hot weather. Wore it round the village this afternoon and it was so cool. Mind you, you can't go wrong for 50p!

Saturday Booty Bargains?

Saturday despite being a sunny day with lots of stallholders packing out two fields was a little void of bargains for me.

A large number of stalls were pricing their items very high.

I heard an old fella asking how much a rusty looking screwdriver was and told by a young woman who couldn't be bothered gettting out of her car that it was £2. £2 for a rusty screwdriver!

Out of curiosity I asked her how much her fishing DVDs were (I pay a £1 usually) and was informed that they were a fiver each.

Both me and the old fella walked away. On another stall I saw a book in prominent display with a little hand written sign against it saying, "£15 in shop bargain at today at £8".

I felt like saying, !"Helloo! Car Boot Sale, wake up!"

I also witnessed an argument. Another elderly man walked over to a stall and asked the stallholder how much her shirts were. £2 each she replied.

The elderly man walked away and said to his son, "She wants £2 for them they are only 50p elsewhere!"

The stallholder's face was a picture. She yelled at the top of her voice, "Hey You, Mr Know-All! I'll have you know my shirts are from BHS they aren't cheap tat!"

"I'm entitled to my opinion!" yelled the old man.

"Yeah but you said it so that I could hear you," she yelled back. "Shouting your mouth off so everyone could hear you. Keep your mouth shut in future!"

All the way down the line of stalls I could hear the old man rattling on about the bad tempered stallholder and by the end of the line i was wondering if he was going to go back and punch her he was getting so angry.

Now I do think the old guy was a bit rude but if you think about it the stallhodler would have been better to keep her mouth shut as all he needed to do to get his own back would be to 'accidently' tip her stall over and walk off.

Usually when I ask a price and its high I just say 'thank you its a bit too expensive for me'. No need to get angry and cause an argument. Mind you a couple of times I've asked the price and its been high and while I've stood there in shocked silence the stallholder started putting it in a bag for me. I've had to say, "No, No please I don't want it!"

So what did I buy at this expensive booty? First of all I bought the pure lambswool GAP stripey scarf in the top picture. It cost 50p and I know you just can't get the wool to knit your own for that price. It's a nice long one and I love the pom poms :-)

The guy selling it me laughed, and asked if I was preparing for winter? I didn't mention my 'Buy a complte wardrobe for less than £100 challenge'.

A brand new pink leather purse from Next for £1. I do love my little kidston one but sadly there is no place to hold the notes and I'm always scared I'll lose them when I'm pulling out change.

From the same person as I bought the Gap scarf I also bought this River Island bag which again was brand new. Its a nice deep one so that I can fit in my paperwork when visiting the library. It cost £1. I bought three books for 50p each. One by Terry Pratchett and The other one is Wicked, the life and times of the wicked witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz.

The third book is very funny. Its set out a bit like a comic and tells the tale of a murder mystery using the illustrations from a 19century ladies book. I've included one of the illustrations below so you can see what I mean.

Then, cos the winter theme seemed to be running through the red hot summer day (?) I bought 4 glass christmas tree ornaments. Here's two of them. They are brand new with tags and I paid £1 for the 4.

Finally, I found a very nice man who had made a lovely selection of hanging baskets, tubs and troughs. I bought two hanging baskets from him for £10 the pair. I really wish I'd bought two troughs off him as well as I'd love a window box outside one of my kitchen windows as it looks directly at the wooden fence and isn't that great a view! Oh, well. Fingers crossed he'll be back next week although saying that he looked very disappointed at the amount of sales he'd made that day.

Home making - cath kidston

Before I do my usual Thrifting find posts I thought I'd show you a little something I've been working on over the weekend.

Now I do love my bathroom as it is but thought I'd have a change of scheme for summer...

A while ago I sourced a Super King duvet cover in the lovely Boats fabric by Cath Kidston in TKMaxx and as we've yet to buy superking bed for the upstairs bedroom (in fact that room is far from finished - as we may be installing an ensuite) I thought I'd use the cover to create a 'boats' themed summer bathroom.

OK, with maybe a nod to the CK bathroom in the book Vintage Style.

So here is the result of my toil. I'm still keeping my red spotty towels and bathmat but the new curtains give it a far more airy look than the previous curtains.

I still have a huge section left to make wash bags from and a complete side to create an outer shower curtain from (when we get round to installing a shower) so fabric wise the duvet was well worth the money.

I don't want to go too overboard with the boats theme but maybe I'll pick up a couple of red wooden boats from the booty to use as colour accents around the bathroom?

BTW I sold my pink paisely duvet cover on ebay recouping all the money I laid out that day when I had a huge splurge at the booty! I was also going to advertise my two single rosali duvet covers on ebay ( I have 3 single covers in exactly the same pattern and only one single bed) but at the moment there are several listed so thought I'd wait til they go off. I'm not great with ebay - it terrifies me!

Finds - a rather expensive item

Hmmm well I posted 'Finds' for my post topic but please excuse a little rant first.

Back in March I attended hospital as an outpatient to see the Thyroid consultant about my high thyroid level; two of them discussed my case as I've had problems in the past. Conclusion was that I was to have a blood test and take home a prescription. IF the blood test came back high someone would ring me tell me to take the tablets and arrange an appointment. I never heard anything off the hospital and gave a sigh of relief throwing away the prescription.

This morning I went to see my GP about something else and found out that a letter had been sent to him stating my blood results were high and I'd been put on tablets!!

Two angry phone call later I'm now taking tablets for a problem that should have been gone ages ago. Talk about the NH Mess :-( That's the second time the department have lost my file/not followed up my case.

Now, for the fun bit.

Saturday was rained off but the DH took me to the sunday boot sale and despite the showers a few stallholders had ventured out.

I picked up three sweaters for autumn, two good names and one Asda one that was brand new with tags and I paid 50-£1 each. I'm determined to have a new wardrobe for about £100 by the end of this year.

As you may or may not know I'm writing ( or trying to) a novel that is a time travel romance set in the Stone Age (think hunky cavemen) and when I spotted this necklace it just reminded me of my story. I've got a 'thing' about necklaces at the moment and love wearing them - at a £1 I can pretend I'm my Evie romping about the Stone Age.

There wasn't much else at the booty until I came to the very last stall.......

I knew something was going on the way the buyers were flocking around like bees to a honeypot and I saw the arms grabbing things as fast as the lady and her daughter were putting them out.

The sellers had one of those expensive Range Rover and were dressed subtly in expensive items (you know how some people dress flash and want everyone to see their labels - these were from the old school were expensive labels are usually kept inside the garment).

There were too many people gathered around the clothes for me to get a look in but I picked up three bags that I rather liked. A Next tassled one for £1.

And then I saw a nice bright pink velvet one (OK I go for flash) and a subtle black one in the shape of a saddle. Now I've had horses most of my life and so it appealed to me on that level; besides which I could tell by the feel and look that this bag would be expensive.

So I grabbed and called over to the daughter, "How much?"

"£5 for the black one and £2 for the other."

I kept hold of them both and looked them over, seeing a blue stain on the zip of the pink one I asked her if I could have them both for £5.

"Oh yes," she said, "Certainly."

I paid her for both bags and slung them over my shoulder and sidled over to the clothes. Everything was designer. I picked up one gorgeous velvet jacket with matching bag for £10 and grabbed a cardigan to have a look at that - cashmere and silk £6. Both items were a size too big for me and a bit 'dressy'. While I was debating whether or not to buy I heard the stallholder say, "____ (daughters name removed in case this is seen) Have you sold my black Dior bag?"

Daughter looked at me and grinned, "No Mummy. I haven't seen it."

I decided that I needed to make a quick exit at this point and left the clothes were they were.

Here's my pink Jennifer Lopez bag.

When I got back to the car I excitedly showed the DH my black saddle bag.

My DIOR bag for £3.

Now I know there are a lot of fakes about but real or fake I'm still thrilled with it (and I bet they originally paid a LOT more than I did).

BTW I've also had a kingsize Rosali bedspead and duvet cover dropped off at my house recently. Which brings me to a delimma. I'm thinking of selling the king size pink paisley one on ebay - mainly because I've spent rather a lot recently and need to get a bit of money back. Any ideas selling tips please? I'm thinking of starting at £20 and letting it run? What do you think?

6 unimportant things I love Tag & Rosali news

Before I get to do the "6 Unimportant Things That I love" tag I thought I'd give you my latest bit of news on my boot sale Rosali find. On Saturday the lady I bought all my bedding, curtains and linens from phoned me up to see if I wanted a Kindgize bedspread and a King size duvet cover? Of course I said "YES!" She's calling round at my house later today and dropping them off for me :-)

The Booty was rained off on Saturday but I did go to the one on Sunday and picked up a few bits and bobs despite the rain. One item is of particular interest and an amusing story..... more about that on my next post.

So.... the tag.

Sue over at http://ournewlifeinthecountry.blogspot.com/ (our new life in the country) was kind enough to tag me to do a 6 unimportant things I love list.

First of all here are No 1 & No 2.

My daybed plumped up with pillows and cushions galore! So relaxing to lie on and read a book or just to simply 'chill' during the day.

No 2 has to be Rosali! ^ I love the flowery pattern and its everywhere in the house ^.

No 3 incorporates three things that I love. Englishness (check out the English Beefeater uniform and the silly hat) on my English Bull Terrier ornament. I also love roses blooming in the English rain, English summers, English gardens, old English houses, English post boxes and so on.

No 4 Baking cakes (or bread) in my breadmaker and then eating them :-)

No 5 Looking out at views like this one. Its great to just open my gate and wander off through the countryside. I've been lucky enough to be able to do this most of my life.

No 6

My Keep Calm poster which still has to find a permanent place to live and is for now sitting on top of a table.

Now to tag 6 other bloggers.....

Ok

http://florence-and-mary.blogspot.com/

http://thecraftytrundler.blogspot.com/

http://carbootcassie.blogspot.com/

http://www.makinggooduse.typepad.co.uk/

http://whatshappeningatmyhouse.wordpress.com/

http://thebalancingkiwi.blogspot.com/

Cath Kidston Rosali Boot Sale

On Sunday I had a really good day - well ok not a day, more like 35 mins at the booty.

The day was promising to be hot and it was so sunny at 5am that I woke up and decided to go to the booty early. First I had to sort out the dogs and the kennels and then we grabbed a cup of tea jumped in the car and away we went!

We were there just before 6am and split up, the DH going one way and me going the other. I trotted round picking up a few bits and bobs on the way....

Isn't this flower bracelet pretty? Especially for 50p.

Do you like my tan? I've been sunbathing in the garden and this year seem to be aquiring an amazing tan (usually I can stay in the sun for weeks and just go off white).

On the same stall I spotted another diamante bracelet again for 50p.

So that was £1 spent.

A little further on I bought a PerUna wrap around top for 50p and a Miss Sixty hippy top for £1

£2.50 spent so far.

I browsed my way down three rows and then looked up and spotted four cushions.....

Rosali cushions.

I nearly fell over my own feet trying to get to them! (If you've read my blog you'll know I have a Rosali addiction). The lady behind the stall must have seen my gawpy expression and smiled brightly and shouted 'Hello!'

"Hello," says I, "How much are your cushions?"

£3 each she says.

"I'll have them!" I replied and then spotted a H-U-G-E pile of Rosali linens piled high on her stall.

"Curtains," says I, "How big and how much?"

She replied that they'd been specially made and showed me some quite short curtains that were wide and said she wanted £10. And then she showed me 8 rosali pillowslips, 2 single bed covers, 1 king size pink paisley duvet cover and 4 pink paisley pillowslips.

"How much for everything?" I asked breathlessly (thinking Heck I've only got £35 left).

"£40 for the rosali and paisley stuff," she replied

"I'll have it," I yelped and began to count out my money hoping that I was mistaken and there was £40 in my purse.

As I was counting out my money -Laughing as I did so and she agreed to take £35 if that was all I had. I'd just got to about £30 and coppering up when I heard a woman's voice behind saying, "Those cushions are lovely!"

Next thing I knew she was grabbing them from between my legs, clutching them to her chest and asking how much? "They're mine," I snarled, "I'm just paying for them now."

Her face went all red and she put them down quickly saying she was sorry, that I had good taste and scuttled off embarrassed.

So for £35 I bought -

4 cushions complete with feather inners,

2 single duvet covers in Rosali

8 rosali pillowslips

4 pink paisley pillowslips,

1 kingsize paisley duvet cover

and one pair of curtians in Rosali very thick heavy cotton.

I had 15 pence left over so had to phone the DH up and ask him to give me a lift carrying all my treasures back to the car and we went home.

Lesson learnt. Always take extra money with you in case you see that 'must have' item

Here's a photo of the curtains up in my kitchen.

And the following day (after doing masses of washing and ironing - although they were spotlessly clean when I bought them) I made one pair of pillow cases into a set of small lined curtains for the tiny window over my sink.

The lady also had a ENORMOUS rosali bedspead with all her stuff piled up on it - which I only spotted as I was walking off. She said she wasn't going to sell it that day but intended to wash it and bring it back the following sunday with a kingsize rosali duvet cover. I asked her to keep them to one side for me and I'll buy them both from her.

The DH is feeling stressed - red roses are taking over his life (mind you I did wind him up by telling him I'd also bought a couch off her in the same pattern). :-))

Yay!! more stuff from the boot sale and my weekly adventures

I've been in a funny mood lately so haven't felt like blogging (noticed I'm not the only one out there who has disappeared off the blogging scene so I guess we must all feel in a 'funny mood')

So, what's been happening? Well last weekedn we got rained off on Saturday and the sunday I spent at an Angling day with the DH. I do have photos but won't bore you with them ;-)

Then I went to my little creative writing class on Tuesday and that was the last day we have an organised tutor there. From now on we are on our own hoping that the council will fund a new tutor for us :-(

On Thursday I went with my sister to a poetry evening at a pub in the town near us. Errr, who has ever heard of a pub that is colder inside than outside? I went in full of crazy dreams of heat and stuffy pubs dressed in a flimsy little top ( a Jane Norman 50p number from the previous booty), jeans and my brand new strappy high heeled sandals. My sister was similarly dressed for a warm balmy eveing.

Anyhow, they left the doors to the beer garden open so we sat in front of the sound man's wooden box against the wall (well out the wind). BUT It was freezing!

And then, part way through the first section I heard a drip, drip dripping sound coming from behind me... I thought that soundman is having a wee and spun round to give him a piece of my mind!

It wasn't the sound man (poor fella was only sat there drinking a hot drink). I did see however a pool of water on the floor near me and when I looked up spotted more water pouring down the wall - rivers of it running down all over the electric cables!!

I pointed it out to my sister and she shuffled up so I was out of danger of flooding/electricution but that put us directly in the wind tunnel and we were literally shivering with cold.

When the first half finished we decided to leave, vowing to come back the following time wearing Arctic survival suits and a built in umbrella on our heads! I got home, put on my nightie, a fleece over the top, a pair of long thick wooly socks and made myself a hot drink. It took ages to warm up - lucky we've not come down with 'flu.

Saturday, was a lovely day. Did you all manage to get out and about? Bargains?

First bargains of the day was on a lady's stall with a ground sheet covered with bits and bobs with the promising label stating , '£1 or Less'. At one side was a pile of vintage tablecloths, napkins, and other embroidered bits. The lady came over and said most of the linens were 20p so I started to dig in the pile. I found a lovely vintage apron with the crinolene lady design and somehow I keep thinking 1940's whenever I look at it?

Any ideas on how to date them?

I've put a close up of the actual embroidery at the top of the post.

This embroidered design was carefuly done on one of the napkins, I don't know why but I HAD to have this little bit of embroidery, such lovely colours and the closework is well done.

Another pretty embroidered napkin - a bright and colourful pansy and superbly done. I picked a few of these napkins up but left a lot more.
Sorry this mat was hard to photograph, its sort of done on net and there are some teeny tiny holes from age. I picked up two of them.

A tea cosy with yet again exquisite poppy embroidery detail. I don't know who made these items but their workmanship is absolutely wonderful. I wish I could tell this lady whoever she was that her work is appreciated.

I also bought a few other white work embroidered pieces but won't show you them as they photos didn't come out all that well. Perhaps the sun reflected off my whiter than white washing?

But I will show you this piece as a tribute to the unknown seamstress who must have spent so much time on these items.

Another embroidered cloth and yet again I keep thinking 1940's when I look at it...?

To give you an idea of size here it is under my full size wash bowl and jug.
Anyhow, I collected all these bits from the linen pile and took them over to the stallholder who charged me.....£1!!

10 items for £1. I nearly fainted and should have scuttled back and picked up another pile of vintage linens for that price!

However my eye was taken with a powder blue vintage set of scales on her stall also priced at £1 ( I heard her telling a middle aged couple that she just wanted everything gone). Anyway, I stared at the vintage scales - not as nice as my red ones but the second nicest I've ever seen and then walked away before I gave in to temptation!

I suppose I should have bought them and advertised them or something but I just thought 'heavy' and walked off. They were VERY pretty if a little bit chippy. Hmmm, well I suppose I can't have everything, the DH will be saying he is living in Steptoe's house (who remembers Steptoe? )

Actually, after saying all that I told the DH and he said I should have bought them!

Next came my bucket. 50p. Bought to store my washing up liquid and other bits in as I hate looking at bottle of washing up liquid.

What was next......?

Oh yes more knickers :-) Remember me buying underwear brand new with tags for 50p each? This time I went better.

This time I bought three bikini bottoms FREYA (off a lady selling new undies -yes with tags and hygene stickers in place).. price ? Beats 50p a go.

TWENTY PENCE each!

I must be getting to be quite Brazen - I never even flinched then when I posted that picture :-)

Then I bought this. The lady had rubbed it down so I gave it a coat of wax and put it in situ as soon as I got home






I paid a fiver for it. And no, I didn't struggle round the booty with it - I left it there and carried on; only going back for it last thing.

Bought this off the shoulder top for 50p. You can't see but there are roses embroidered all over it.

More tops 50p-£1I've been buying a few items of clothing recently, generally not paying more than £1 for any one item -my idea is to see if I can gather a brand new wardrobe by the end of the season?

(Having lost over a stone in weight most of my clothes are baggy)

I freely admit to having picked up a couple of mistakes along the way (too tight or doesn't suit) but for £1 or less I can always give to the charity shop and don't suffer financially.

I'm picking up nice names too, Hooch, Miss Sixty, Per Una, Principles, Jane Norman, River Island.... And choosing items that are like new. Nothing from Primark type shops(unless I fell in love with it) and nothing tatty.

So, my little challenge is to find a good wardrobe of clothes for less than say hundred pounds? Maybe a hundred and fifty?

Lets face it if at the end of the year I decide I don't like any of it I can always give it away!