plump pudding

Incoming thriftiness

I have been a bad blogger and neglected this little blog.   It's more having got out of the habit rather than not having anything to say.  There's not much chance of that!

But I have been busy acquiring some "new" items for the house.  All randomly found at the boot sale and the village jumble sale.  The pyrex teapot and coffee pot were a snip at 20p each.  I bought one and Keanan bought the other one for me - what a sweetie!  Joining them today is this vintage tin tray of the pin up lady.  Far too bashed to use everyday, but she looks good from a distance.

The boys and I both love the bi-annual jumble sale held in the village hall and for the same reasons - plenty of bargains.

After a quick recce of the jumble sale, I ended up helping out on the bric a brac stall.  When I first arrived the table was piled with items and nothing caught my eye.  Later on as the piles went down, I spotted one of these cat string holders which had been languishing underneath everything.  20p into the tin and it was mine.  Five minutes later I spotted another one.  Another 20p and there were two to take home.  Doubling my collection from two to four.  They are patiently sitting waiting for me to dig out the drill and mount them on the wall.

Today was also a good day at the boot sale.  Plenty of sewing items.  I was lucky enough to find four pillow cases in a pretty floral fabric.  No plans for them as yet, but they will be used at some point.

The next lot that found its way into my shopping basket was this collection of vintage sewing items: glass headed pins, needles and pins used for mounting butterflies - I only spotted that whilst I was taking the photographs.

Keanan came home with a bundle of Marvel comics and I also spotted a mirror which was originally from a dressing table.  A quick sand and it has just received its second coat of Farrow & Ball eggshell.  I think the mirror will be put in our bedroom - just haven't mentioned that one to Stephen yet!

Photos of that to follow.  Have a good weekend and I promise to be a better blogger!

Spring

Since the clocks went back, I have been waking at 7.00am and it's light.  I love the lighter days and the facts that the nights are getting lighter.

And washing has been drying on the line instead of being draped over the radiators.  I spotted some delightfully spring shoes yesterday and just couldn't resist - even though my shoe collection probably rivals Imelda Marcos

And feeling inspired by the sunny weather, I have been trying to get ahead with the next Liberty order rather than having to make it all when the order comes in.  Hence the big pile of pincushions that now need stuffing

Plenty to be going on with.

Pre-owned Art

Regular readers will know by now that I am a minimal kind of girl at heart - but I just couldn't resist some paintings spotted whilst out and about trawling the charity shops.

Rather than small pieces of art, or even objets d'art as I prefer to call them as opposed to that general cover all title of crap that Stephen uses, I like larger items.  Just one will do instead of a few smaller pieces.  So when I spotted this oil painting in the window of a charity shop I had to go and take a closer look.

It's pretty big , about 2 foot wide by 3 foot.  And the frame was already painted white - perfect and ready to hang in the dining room.  It has initials on the painting and the date 1958 - so it's pretty old.  Always a good thing in my book.  The best part about it was the price: £10.  It was coming home with me.

The other painting (or I should say print) that I have recently acquired is now installed in the cloakroom.  Perched on the top of the cistern.

Flowers again - just can't get enough of them.

I'm not sure what this cat card was used for originally, unless it was meant as a gift.  The ribbon to hang it up was already attached and there is a price of one shilling and nine pence pencilled on the back.  I found this at the boot sale for 10p and rather than inflict it on Stephen, have hung it up in the studio.  There is only so much floral stuff that a man can take!

I will leave you with a photo of Arthur having hijacked Maudie's bed has gone to sleep.  How he can sleep like that is anyone's guess!

My boring blog

Due to a Liberty order and the Easter holidays, this little blog has been neglected.  Or as my friend Theresa put it, your blog is a bit boring Samantha.  Point taken.

The boys started back at school today and the car has been taken for an MOT which means that I have no excuse but to get on with some work.  Plus there has been the delivery of some new fabrics:

and some to replenish the fabrics used for Liberty

Another delivery straight from France: Marie Claire Idees. 

Mr Peacock has well and truly settled in.  He has been having a whale of a time being taken out and about with the boys and their friends.  Plus he has made a few doggy friends of his own.  We have even braved the boot sale with him. 

Here he is catching the sun rays in Keanan's room with one of his favourite "possessions" the oven gloves!