Tuesday 20 July 2010

Sorry its been so long!!
All a bit upside down here - the usual Summer 'full house' with family and guests and Hubby P being rather unwell - enough for the Dr to say he needs a break from work. Nice to have him home, but of course that means less money coming into the home - so as with many of you a further tightening of the purse strings!
And the RAIN!!!!!
We have had so much of it I thought we would be washed away!
At least the apple tree is loving it - all this rain is making the apples grow large and plump!
Hopefully lots to harvest for puddings and jam, maybe even some chutney.
The garden has taken a battering, but this large stand of Elcampane just loves the damp and is thriving



Elcampane I suppose is a bit unusual in a garden - it is usually found in the wild, I bought my cutting from a specialist nursery, having never seen it in the wild (although I have found some since, growing on some rough ground). I like to gather the unusual - well I did end up with Hubby P!



Elcampane is a very tall plant - easily reach 6ft and huge leaves - it needs a big space - it is a rather striking 'full on' plant.
It was used inn the 'olden days' to make a cough medicine, and was said to be especially good for curing Bronchitis. I think they dug up some of the roots mashed them and boiled them up, then made a syrup with the liqueur.




I love to explore all the old receipts and 'cures' - it amazes me what they made from everyday plants growing in the hedgerows, no wonder they called the old women with the knowledge 'Hedgewitches'.
And of course the flowers are so sunshiny and pretty!
Onwards and upwards with the thrifting - and now of course thinking of all and everything to make a few more pennies, so many of my recent finds will have go on ebay to help things along, and we may do a carboot or two if the weather brightens.




Do you recognise 'Julie's' ironing board - I covered it in some of the pretty pink and blue fabric, it looks so sweet. I found the little pink push along trolley today at the carboot - the cheery pink colour attracted me - and how about the Hobby Horse! Who remembers? Who had a Hobby Horse as a child? Hands up!!!!


Found these today too!




Delightfully vintage and shabby! Just the thing to sit under with your G &T - if it ever stops with the RAIN thing!!
A little collection of dusty leather bags, I've had these a while - just took me a while to gather the enthusiasm to get the polish out and deploy a bit of elbow grease!




They came up really quite well - I just love the shabby leather look!



Of course I want to keep them all - I have two already that I use - they are really very shabby, but all the better for that.
It wasn't that long ago, I was in B & Q and a complete stranger - lady of a certain age - stopped me and asked where I had got my 'wonderful' shabby bag from. She couldn't believe I had found it at a carboot and preceded to offer me larger and larger amounts of money for my bag!
Stood there - right in the middle of B & Q!
Of course I said no - it is a very nice bag - and valuable too - or so it seems!
I can never go into B & Q now without thinking of the 'Bag episode' as Hubby P calls it - of course he thought she was completely Bonkers!



The new ones have come up quite well with a bit of polish and plenty of effort - bit boring though - polishing!
Pity I can't find the B &Q lady now - I wonder if I hung around B & Q touting shabby handbags !!?
xxx Must be bedtime! xxx Take care! xxx







15 comments:

  1. Ha ha! I love it! The more mature ladies in the store may take offence at your shouting 'shabby bags' at them LOL, what if they take it personally??? hee hee. X

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  2. Those leather bags look great - they are so much more interesting aged or 'vintaged'.
    We've had soooooo much rain here too - though we actually have a little bit of blue sky peeping out this morning!
    Love Kathy xxx

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  3. It's worth a try!
    I love the plant (can't remember how to spell i now!) It is a sunshine sort of flower, cheers you up. Hope you have succeed in selling a few items and making some pennies.
    love
    Lyn
    xxx

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  4. Gosh, that's hilarious about the B&Q bag incident. Those bags do look great.

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  5. Lovely stuff! I am surprise your apple tree has any fruit still after the harsh gales last week!!! We were staying in Trearrdur Bay last week and had a fab time despite the rain :)

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  6. Your apples look scrummy. I don't blame the old lady for trying to buy your vintage bag: the leather in those old bags is so much better than the leather you get today!

    Sorry to read about Hubby P, hope he gets better very soon.

    Shirl x

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  7. Wow - your garden is looking very lush!

    I love those bags - no wonder your got hassled - sounds like the kind of thing my Aunty would do, we always seam to end up leaving her house lighter in either hand bags, coats or blouses!

    the sun will return!

    Kath
    x

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  8. Goes to show that leather really needs feeding with good polish - lovely bags and not surprised you didn't sell it.
    Hope hubby benefits from his break from work and really takes it easy.

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  9. We've had a terrible time with the rain - thankfuly no flooding to me or mine but plenty of flash floods in the area.

    Sorry to here you OH is ill. Hope he gets better very soon and doesn't overdo himself getting all those little jobs done when he is supposed to be resting.

    Loved the shabby bag story. You are stronger willed than me, I'd ahve sold the lady my shabby bag!

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  10. I could so easily have been that lady - the bags are gorgeous!

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  11. love that story, were are these people when you need them hey.

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  12. the bags look great - the rain has been a bit awful after all our lovely sunshine - hope He is feeling better

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  13. Oh no, hope Hubby P is soon on the mend and it's nothing too serious, give him our love. Love your finds, the bags are great. The rain goes on up here, the seedlings that need to be taken to the lottie are HUGE !!
    Take care and love to everyone
    twiggy x

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  14. I really laughed at the thought of you in B&Q. Some people have such a cheek! I love your parasols. We use one my parents bought in 1967 when we moved into our new house. Much nicer than these modern ones. Hope Hubby P is feeling better soon. Jane xx

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  15. Love the bags1

    Hope hubby gets well soon!

    Jo xx

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