Thrifty Pretties....

A day of Prettiness ... with a touch of Thrift ...

Just look at this pretty lace ... to think someone spent precious hours crocheting this to trim their pillowcase.... I wonder if it was made especially for a Brides 'Bottom Drawer' did it begin its life along side the married life of its maker?

 I unpicked it from an old pillowcase I have had for years... I think it came from my Grandmother with other bits and bobs. Anyway the pillowcase is past its useful life ( its off to join Hubby P's rag bag) ....and the lace lives on to charm and delight a little longer.

 

I had a good old day of unpicking and salvaging what I could .... buttons, zips, lace ... its all stashed away for another day.

 I must spend hours with my trusty unpicker ...

 This splendid cushion cover was found at a Car boot sale for pennies ... so pretty. I put it away because I didn't have a cushion pad for it ... so I was pleased when Hubby P came home with some tatty old cushions. He was intending to send them... with all the usual waste, boxes etc ... to the great landfill in the sky. 

I stripped the covers off ... the pads were perfectly clean (some had two or three covers one over another.... I unpicked the zips for future cushion making days... sent the old covers to the ragbag for greasy/paint-y hands.... and popped a cushion pad into the pretty cover.

Being of a certain vintage... the cover does not have a zip or fastenings... its simply slip stitched together. Its hard to imagine now ... but there was a time when Housewives thought nothing of unpicking things to wash them....often by hand .... dry them ....without a dryer ....iron them .... iron heated on the stove?... then sew them back up again!

 And to think she probably embroidered the whole thing in the first place!

And we think we're busy!

Anyway I had a very satisfying day .... and have a pretty cushion to show for it..... hope you all had a good day.

xx Bye for now xx

Jolly Thrifty Bunting...

 Enjoying the sun?

Its wonderful after all those months of damp dodgy weather ... still I can only take it in small doses.

I'm lucky to have a cool shady house.... the cottage has thick walls and small windows. Warm in winter .. cool in summer.

So this is what I've done today ... but of sun in the garden... bit of Bunting in the house...

 I fancied having a sew .... just... well....as you do, so I thought a bit of bunting would do the trick.... one or two celebrations in the offing... and it will look good in the garden.

Thrifty Bunting of course .... made from some old pillowcases and bits and bobs of trimming stuff I had stashed away.

Lets hope the sun is with us for a while .... it would be nice to have a warm relaxing summer.... 

xx Take care .... bye for now xx

Hubby P At Work.... Valley Car Boot Sale

 

I just thought I would give you a peek into the working life of Hubby P ... the job that gives him so much satisfaction ... obviously being Hubby P it involves a lot of talking ... oops sorry! I mean Networking...

These pic's were taken at the Valley Car Boot Sale where Hubby is based.

Two shipping containers hold most of the stock and are set out a bit like a shop with the treasures handy to see...pick up and have a good old nosey.

A real treasure trove of goodies for the vintage enthusiast. 

 Of course having me as a unpaid consultant ... its just struck me ... that unpaid bit .... umm

Anyway maybe I'd not get away with a paid job .... just way too critical, fussy ..... and I believe the word 'negative' has been used too..

But it does mean I have access to a vintage haberdashery stash...

Buttons and more buttons... and lace..buckles...ribbon..beads..all manner of goodies...

 He manages to find lots of pretties....

... and white linen by the caseful ...

How about some nice china...

 

 ...or the odd shabby cupboard....

Lots of lovely things....

 ....all cheap and cheerful.

And of course always so much to say ..... but a happy chappie!

Hope you enjoyed the pic's.

Oh .... and incase you are at a loose end... we would love to see you... we are at Valley car boot sale (Anglesey)  .... Tuesdays and Thursdays all year round.... selling lots of goodies.. and of course ....having a good old chat!

Just To Say Hello .... A Few Photo's

Hello there .... its been a while... 

I thought I would just dip my toe in Blogland... try and get back into regular posts ... I have missed you all....

Just a bit of an update today ..... 

.... still this obsession with fabric...

yesterday I came accross an old cushion that was destined for the 'great landfill in the sky' .... a wonderfully faded old beauty, so I reclaimed what I could gave it a good wash and press ... and it will live on as part of my patchwork. 

I find it so satisfying ... unpicking and reusing ... or is it 'upcycling' these days.

The summerhouse we were building has come on, all nicely painted up, inside and out. 

 

It still awaits its curtains inside and a snall porch and step on the outside ... I have the curtains cut to size and half sewn ... and I have the curtain tracks ready to go up.... just waiting for a man with a screwdriver and a few spare minutes.

Speaking of spare minutes Hubby P has had very few... his Trading and Restoration work has kept him very busy. He has settled himself and his tools in the old summerhouse ... well up the garden path... almost hidden from view (no more noisy drills humming away outside my window) ... and there he mends and gives new life back to all kinds of lovely things.

  

Its my Birthday soon (shall we say a significant one) and Hubby P has restored this beautiful Victorian bench ... that I may sit and contemplate my garden in comfort.

 He has done such a good job considering it was just a heap of rusty metal and rotting wood when he brought it home.

He so enjoys the restoration side of the work ... he is a happier chap .... I feel it feeds his soul.

The Garden is still loved .... although sadly neglected....

 

I like to call it a wildlife garden these days .... with plenty of 'wildflowers' otherwise known as weeds ... well they all add interest and diversity ... isnt that a trendy word these days .... diversity!

We lost Charlie our cat ... he now resides in the 'big garden in the sky' or more proberably curled up on the 'big sofa in the sky'!

We burried him under the comfry .... comfry is doing well I noticed .... flowering already.

Sad times .... but the upside is we have a lot more birds visiting the garden.

 

So all is well with us .... we are battling on through these tough times .... still on with the thrifty living ... the make do and mend ... and taking good care of our loved ones ....

 ...... hope you are all well .... how does your garden grow? .... any new Thrifty Snippets to share?...

.... do let me know if you are still  'out there'.....

xx Bye for now xx