Winter carboot fairs are not terribly inspiring

There is very little in the way of vintage to be had. So why do I go? Well, you just never know, do you? Amongst the many piles of clothes, toys, modern china etc, there might just be a teeny weeny little something that takes my fancy. And the habit is just so hard to break.

So yesterday morning my long suffering hubby and I set off to have a look at the one and only indoor boot fair in the area. The weather was pretty bad, it had snowed, it was grey and overcast and people had obviously preferred to stay at home, in bed, or in front of a lovely warm fire, lol. The hall was only half full. We wombled about, picked up a thing or two, went to the exit, and out into............ a snow storm! Ooops. The weather had changed so dramatically in just the half hour we had been inside. Thankfully we didnt have a long drive. Oh, I do love cars with heated seats.

Do you know what? I just realised that the photos I took today are from the boot fair and jumble sale LAST weekend, lol. I haven't unpacked the bag from yesterday. Not that there is much to unpack. Ouch, old age is not much fun, rofl. Guess I'll have to do yesterday's tomorrow then.

So, here are the pics from last weekend, sigh -

60s/70s is not really my thing, but this small purple bowl is such a luscious, rich colour, I had to have it -


Modern as well, but I do love these silver plated star shaped boxes. They just need a good polish -

What a great American pack of cards! Well, the game itself it quite ordinary, but I love the back of the cards, the graphics are so funny -


A sweet little jug, a girl can never have too many little jugs/pitchers -


Oh look, lol, another little pitcher, this time an Ironstone one -


And talking of Ironstone, I also found this really pretty brown transferware Ironstone plate -


A few bits of jewellery. The pink heart necklace is a modern one, from Avon, but the rose quartz heart is so pretty, I want to use it in a fabric collage -


Pretty little rosary though -


The colour of this little vase made me go WOW! Isn't it just so pretty? -


A Sylvac vase -


A gorgeous little dressing table tray, for your rings, or change, any little bits and pieces really. They also make lovely little pen trays for your desk -


I adore this little glass jar with the silver lid, which is just crying out to be gently embellished, don't you think?


As I said before, yesterday's will (probably) show up tomorrow, lol. Until then, toodlepip xxx

Two things - Michelle Palmer and Sunday's boot fair

I am sure most of you know Michelle Palmer, she creates THE sweetest, most gorgeous drawings on fabric, and I have admired them for a very long time. When she started her Christmas drawings, I couldn't resist any longer, I had a real good excuse for going ahead and ordering some of her delightful drawings. I wanted to use them on little stockings for my two granddaughters and one other little darling girl dear to my heart. So I emailed Michelle and asked her whether she would create 3 little drawings for me, all similar but with little differences to they could tell them apart.

They arrived yesterday, and I am absolutely thrilled to bits with them. They are whimsical, delightful, the sweetest little drawings and I am so looking forward to making three stockings with them. I am going to use some of my antique French hand loomed linen to make the stockings with. Have a look for yourselves, aren't they the cutest?



They arrived with a lovely letter from Michelle ( you have no idea how I envy her handwriting, it is beautiful ) and three of the sweetest smelling little tags -


And now to Sunday's Indoor boot fair, the one and only winter boot fair in our area. As I said in the last post, it wasn't a complete waste of time, I did find a few pretty little treasures amongst the 99.9% modern tat, baby toys, clothes, cds and books. Where is all the lovely old junk gone?


The glass flowers I really do like an awful lot, I think they are charming -

Poils, well, a girl can never go wrong with poils, can she? Especially when they are beautifully shiny shimmery faultless poils -

Tin, I really needed another tin like I needed a hole in the head, but when it is this pretty, how can one resist?

This brooch with millions of dangly bits took my fancy, mostly because of the lovely crystals at the ends of the danglies

Little jugs/pitchers are irresistible, this one is dainty and so sweetly decorated

And I found another piece of Carnival glass. I am not normally I big fan of orange, but the orange Carnival glass shimmers so beautifully with those oil slick colours, and that I adore

And then there was that box. A smallish box, barely open, by the side of a table. I cannot pass closed boxes without having a look inside, lol. Ever. When I folded the top back properly, I saw linens, what looked like doilies, table runners etc. I asked her to give me a price for the whole box, as I really didn't feel like taking everything out, and having vultures ( other lovely ladies wanting a piece of the action ) trying to get at the best bits, lol, while I was still rooting through the box. That does happen, you know! They pull the bits out of your hands if you aren't careful. Anyways, I got the box full of stuff, took it home and then started taking out the bits one by one.
There were damask serviettes, doilies, table runners, odd bits and pieces, and some stunning tablecloths. Yep, beautiful whitework embroidery, gorgeous deep crochet lace trims, it was such a pleasure unpacking this little box. Here goes, have a look -


Two dinky little pillow cases, probably for a child's bed, so so pretty-


Some colourful 1950s embroideries on tablecloths, tea cosies ( outers only )


and this darling nightdress case. Know anybody with those initials? What a pretty Christmas present that would make for a vintage lover

Another tablecloth with beautiful whitework embroidery

And look at these gorgeous crochet borders, aren't they fabulous?


And now I am off to make something else from the Romantic White Christmas workshop.

Toodlepip xxx

Rainy Car Boot Fair

I had such high hopes for today - I thought we had had the last outdoor boot fair, but the paper advertised my regular boot fair for this Sunday, the weather forecast was for sunshine, and my DS was happy to come with me. All was well, the sky was blue, the sun was shining, it was cold, but hey, we got thick winter sweaters. So we set off and hadn't gone 5 mins when we saw the first dark clouds looming on the horizon. Ah. Not so good. And then the first few raindrops started hitting the windscreen. Bad. Very bad. We got to the boot fair, and of course there were not very many stall holders at all, and a lot of them had their stuff covered up because it was drizzling. Some were even packing up! So it was more of a quick dash around trying to find my regular stall holders ( not there, bah ) and stopping here and there for a quick look through boxes. My trolley was quite light when we left not an hour later ( and thats most unusual as well, lol ).

But, of course I managed to find a couple of things, and one I am particularly fond of. I found me a HECTOR Jug!!! Ok, so officially there is no such thing as a Hector jug, but look, look! This fabulous old Wedgewood jug has a dog shaped handle! And the head looks so much like my Hector! Hector is a Rhodesian Ridgeback, btw. The ears, the broad head, the muzzle........ hasn't quite got the deep chest Hec has, but that would make the handle uncomfortable. Isn't that just the bestest thing?



I found a couple of silver plate pieces, adorable small ladles, one with a monogram on the handle -


And these two little things, whatever they are. They are in quite a state, can't see much of the silver under all that black patina, but I did spot the sweetest intertwined monograms on them. I think when they are cleaned up, they will make fabulous pin cushions, don't you think? -


A pretty snazzy, or should that be 'snappy' crocodile purse. It looks so real, but I can't decide whether it is or not. Whatever, it is very tactile -


I like this brush! It has the cutest little squirrel holding a nut as a handle. Love the two tone bristles as well. Not entirely sure what sort of brush it is, I am leaning towards a crumb brush -


I picked up some more odd earrings, they are always so pretty on little sachets/pillows and it doesn't matter then that they are singles. Oh, two little pendants snuck in there as well -


And this next lot I almost left behind. I have sets of serving bowls and little dishes already, too many really, lol. But this was such a pretty set! The green is amazing, I am pretty sure it is Uranium glass from the 1930s, but I don't have a UV light to test the glass -


Thats it! Light load, isn't it? I would have been happy with just my gorgeous Hector jug though, thats my very special piece.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, toodlepip xxx