HOW ABOUT SOME JUDY FOR CHRISTMAS?

It was Auction Day Again!

What are We like!! There were just so many wonderful Vintage things, all with their own stories to tell - I wanted to bring lots home, but I was restrained, besides, the huge 7 foot four poster bed with swags of vintage fabric wouldn't fit in my tiny bedroom - I did take the tape measure to it to check! ( I carry a tape in my bag - you never know what you may come accross!)

Anyway we were having a good day - we had looked at everything and noted in the catalogue, Lots we were interested in. I had had the little discussion with Hubby P about us 'Just Not having the room at home for any more furniture'! Yes Yes! I said.

He had bid and won some boxes with books and things in, one of the boxes had these old records in - shame I thought, someones collection the will never again be played - a collection which has been compiled over the years and treasured. There were handwritten (in beautiful copperplate) notes on the record sleeves.

One of the records was -

Judy Garland - a live recording Oct 16 1951 at the Palace, Broadway! How wonderful. This is truley a piece of social history captured on this little black disc.

Shortly after the boxes were sold HubbyP went outside for a constitutional - Well what was I to do - this next Lot was next - a wonderful 1950s Radiogram! I had loved it when I viewed it, but dismissed the idea (We had had the 'disscussion' about No furniture!) - But it would have been a sin - No one wanted it - I got it for a fiver! Yes! Just £5

Hubby p's face was a picture, but he was secretly delighted - I could tell! - And the deed was done!

This is what it looks like, rather smart piece of furniture - I just need to sort out some nice 50,s photo frames to stand on it. In this photo its just sort of been plonked down.

When the doors are open you can see the radio and record player , and you know what the record player worked straight away! And we had records to play!

What fun we had listening to all the old records - Judy Garland, Gracie Fields, Gene Kelly, Dean Martin, and host of others!

It transported me to another time, another era, it was like all those old black and white films playing in my mind - I could 'see' the fashions the hair, the clothes - hats lipstick! What a nice evening we had. So of course we are on the look out for interesting old vinyl now!

Hubby P treated himself to this - something for him to tinker with, far easier on the eye than some of this modern plastic and metal stero stuff.

I found these chair back covers in one of the boxes - on top of the records I think.

This larger one has some damage that someone has darned in the past - what happened there do you think? Did the Lady of the house spend time and effort embroidering these pretty things, and then the cat clawed at them, did her little terrier drag them on the floor and have a chew? We will never know - but they have a safe home now. That industrious little Lady will live on in her handiwork!

Ta ta for now xx

CHRISTMAS HAS COME - SORT OF! TO THE ALLSORTS!

I thought I had better get myself organised, and get a bit Festive - make some sort of effort! You all put me to shame with your lovely Christmas trees and whatnot.

Now I have a 'thing' about Christmas trees - I do like to have a real tree, if I am to have one ( I think its a childhood hang up - must be a real one, although because we lived in a caravan - a very small one!) However I can't bring myself to buy one that's been cut down - a dead/dying one! So I used to get one rooted - alive in a pot, when the children were small.

The last few years I have resorted to what Hubby P refers to as - ' dragging in an ol' bush and throwin' a few baubles on it'!

I like to think its a bit more artistic, holistic and eco friendly than that.

I like to think I am bringing in my 'friends' - shrubs and small trees I have grown and nurtured, to share our festivities!

No tree was harmed during the making of our Christmas!

So this year we have Mr Bay tree - stands in a pot quite happily by our front door, grown from a cutting given to me from my Mum a few years ago!

With the minimum of fuss (I don't like tinsel either - it somewhat offends my eye! - I know 'Funny Woman'!) Mr Bay is dressed with small hand painted Vintage baubles and a few other bits.

Can you see Twiggys little Christmas bauble peeping out!

Twiggy is such a love, she sent me a lovely little Christmas package - no batteries for the camera on the day of course. Needless to say it was full of pretty things, the handcrafted bauble above, the lovely blue china set, one of her crafted cards and other goodies.

I have my blue set just handy - I use it to hold my vintage lipsticks and hat pins, and other jewelry and bits and bobs that I use daily. Its near where I stand in front of the mirror and put on my make up - Yes! I am one of those who wears it every day - feel naked without it! Is it a Generation thing - do you think? Do many younger women wear make up every day - even in the house ? Or maybe its just me!

Talking about me - I've been on Ebay again - that bit where you click on Vintage Accessories!

(I have banned myself for the next few weeks - won't even 'just look' - I have spent Soooo much!)

Anyway there was this delicious Vintage purple felt hat, a bit of a beret type - needless to say I had to have it - its on its way from France - how posh is that!

So - on Sunday (at the Car Boot sale) I saw these - the very thing! to go with my hat!

Now I know the stall holder - he's a regular at the Car Boots, and I think its perfectly acceptable in the pursuit of Vintage bargains to be - well - a bit familiar and friendly, and even perhaps a bit of mild flirtation is necessary. You know what a lot of men are like, their egos are easily massaged with a flutter of the eyelashes and a nice smile!

(Goodness what with this and the daily make up - feminists will give me up as a lost cause!)

Still it bagged me this little lot!

Just as I was saying to the stall holder (ever so sweetly - like you do!) I think I would like the purple gloves - hoping he would say £1-2 , He swept the whole lot - gloves, pretty silk scarves, hand stitched handkerchief's, and my purple gloves, into a bag and said ' seeing as its you, and I know you will use them, have them all for £1'! Such a nice man!

Hubby P was with me and he said ' can't believe he just said that'!

Well - I just thanked him ever-so sweetly, like you do!

Ta ta for now! xxxxx going to wash and sort my bag of gloves and whatnot!

Three bags full - and no sign of a lamb chop!

Yes! in 'ranty' mode again!

I just had to show you this - not even three full bags of shopping and £40!

Is it me? or are prices still creeping up and up! - I can remember not that long ago, when I could just about fill a trolley at Lidls for £40.

This was just a very basic shop - no meat, wine or fancy bits, I really feel for those of you with a big family to feed. Its not like we can just avoid buying - we have to eat.

Enough, enough, enough of the rant!

The Credit Crunch is with us Big Time! Any hints on a cheaper Christmas - what you all doing for Christmas dinner? Porks a bit dodgy now with this Irish pork having Dioxins or whatever in it. There is always something, isn't there! Perhaps we should all go back to rearing our own pig at the bottom of the garden, at least we would know how it was treated, and what went into it!

Just a bit of a grovelling apology now, to all of you who have tagged me and been kind enough to give me Awards and things. I know I am hopeless at responding to these things. I have totally lost track - I think I will just draw a line under them and start again! Try and promise to be a better Blogger!

How about this? Anyone remember Dallas and all those wonderful shoulder pads the women wore!

Well I found this and presented it to Hubby P ( well any Man who was anyone in the 80's was wearing it!) he just gave me a scathing look - and said 'You are joking!!**?'

Guess I will just have to find an appreciative bloke on Ebay - a J R fan.

Up date on the Hat stands I have made - they have their pretty covers on them now. I must say they do the job just fine!

My collection is growing - and I do wear them all. I am trying not to get into the habit of collecting just for the sake of it, I want them to be wearable - if only in the garden.

This is the latest - very flowery, ideal for the Church bazaar or similar stuffy occasion! Should turn heads - its only the brave people who make a comment!





Anyway - I am supposed to be writing my Christmas cards, and wrapping Hubby Ps Birthday present - he is Very Old tomorrow !!!!!!

Ta Ta for now xxxx

HOPE YOU'RE ALL WRAPPED UP WARM!

The Winter Sun is shining brightly through the trees!

And it looks lovely and sunny through the windows!

But its just so cold! We haven't seen any snow here -yet. Plenty on the tops of the mountains - we live near the Snowdonia Mountain range (North Wales for those of you in far off places!). It looks beautiful, as if some one has been out there with a large icing sugar dredger, and sprinkled them liberally with soft sparkly sugar!

The good news is - Hubby P is back in full time work, it seems work is dribbling back in, so fingers crossed it keeps up!

It was a good 'real life' lesson, or test - we often talk about what if !!!xy and z happens, well it did for a while, and we coped well enough. Of course lots of people are in difficulties, and it must be very worrying for those with little children, no job, and Christmas coming - we are lucky, we chose a long time ago to live a simple life - and stepping 'back' a little more, making more sever savings wasn't so hard.

All we can do is do what we can for each other, look to the elderly and vulnerable.

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On the Crafty/sort of front!

My thing with the hats is becoming a bit of an addiction - I won another last night on Ebay! I can't help it I just think - well one/opening bid wont harm! then of course I get sucked in! _ is this how Gamblers feel?*!

Any way its no good just having the hats and putting them in a drawer - I have to display them. I have been looking at Vintage hat stands - but they are so few, and expensive (says she who happily buys hats by the score - and how many heads have I to wear them).

So - I decided to have a go at making my own.

I found these two odd wooden candle sticks, and bought these pottery pomanders - they were the right size and shape (50p each).

I attached the pomanders to the tops of the candle sticks and papier mache'd over them to give more stability.

I let them dry and then covered them in a slightly padded coat of white felt. This is as far as I have got - this evening I will find some pretty fabric to cover the felt and perhaps add a ribbon or something. Then the idea is they will hold my hats and I can stick my hat pins in them.

I have also been looking at Vintage hat pin holders - you wouldn't believe the price they go for on Ebay!! - its a scandal! And the only one I could find at the Car Boot sale was £15! - it wasn't even a nice one - can you tell I am becoming a little obsessed!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I suppose with other people its shoes!

I will show you the finished hat stands when I have prettied them up!

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A couple of finds!

The two cushions for a £1 - how could a girl refuse!

The photos not too good, but they have been made from gingham, and kind of folded ans sewn to give this cubed effect. They were very dirty and faded, I think they had been used outside (there was bird poo on one - is that lucky?) I washed them by hand but they haven't come up too well - I might try again in the washer. Still I like their shabby, lived in look.

This great rubbishy box was a good find at the Car boot sale, £2.50 and it was full to the top with Vintage sewing stuff. No one was looking at it because the box was so tatty, but a little tentative rummage brought up all sorts of goodies!

All sorts pins, silk embroidery threads,embroidery patterns, sewing books, tapes, ribbons, darning wool, buttons and lots more.

There must be at least two dozen reels of thread, on the nice old wooden reels (my old sewing machine prefers the wooden reels.

So I am busy sorting through it all, I will keep a good deal of it - can't have too much sewing thread! After all there will come the day when you will not be able to find thread on wooden reels. I know they don't manufacture wooden reels any more, but you can find them at car boots and what not - but for how long! Do we care? - well Yes! Some of us do, I hate this 'all plastic' world, its so cold and clinical - and not very Green to boot!

(enough of the rant!)

Goin to rummage in my box some more!

Have a look on my Ebay for items from the box needing a new home!