Birthday week...family, fun and beautiful presents!

My birthday was at the beginning of October. My 25th birthday. This scared me. As did the fact that it was my first "working" birthday ever (I usually wangle a day off). Eurgh, adulthood.

So I decided to pootle off to Norwich for a week before my birthday to spend time with my fam, foraging in other peoples cast offs (carboots, junk shops, charity shops, but that was covered in my previous post), playing drunk pool and eating loads of food.
Plus opening presents, obviously! .....WHAT? I'm not too grown up for presents. Never.


So here is an ever so quick pictorial round up of the week leading up to my birthday, minus the previously shared bargains:

 

5 games of drunk pool with made-up rules and everyfink. These rules included removing the black ball until the end, so it didn't get accidentally potted before its time. Obvs.

  

  Family frolicking and dog harassment.

 

 Birthday bowling after my first ever day of going to work on my birthday.

 

Now onto the PRESENTS!

 

Typewriter cushion thoughtfully chosen by my little sister. Knitted gauntlet gloves. Beautiful vintage buttons.

 

Housekeepers box. Teatowel. Kitsch vintage baby ornaments....and a satchel! A lovely lightly worn black vintage one, a handy smaller size than my beloved Burt. I think I shall name her Betty. And although I shouldn't know the price of birthday presents, my mumma just couldn't resist telling me, for it was such a bargain. Two teeny pounds from a carboot!

 

A swiss chalet clock.

 A vintage telephone table. A working vintage hairdryer. A 1950's tree topper lady with a crepe paper skirt. A ballerina ring holder. A retro portable radio. A giant shoe horn, of course. Folding coat hanger and retractable airer, and a vintage flag.

 

A naked lady. A lovely apron. A floral ceramic earring and brooch set. Vintage buttons. A knitted hat needle case. A faux fur capelet. A lucky rabbit foot brooch.

 

This vintage 1950's card has a music box attached, so when you turn the handle it plays a very twangy version of "Happy Birthday". How fab is that?

 

A beautifully glamorous vintage pearl, crystal and cut glass earring and choker set. A pair of crochet gloves. A black velvet turban-style headband, lovingly made by my talented nan!

 Tara Starlet 40's style dungarees.

 

Sweeeeeeets!

 

 

A treat voucher crafted by my wonderful pal.

 

This absolutely phenomenal 1940's coat was brought down by a lovely lady for me from the storage room of a charity shop when shopping with my mumma. I gasped. And my mother kindly offered to buy it for me as a combined birthday/christmas present. £45 well spent indeed! It is incredibly perfect condition, fits me (well, not on the chesty-region, but that rarely happens!) and just look at those pleats. And hidden/top secret pockets, but I didn't tell you that!

 A beautiful trio of wall mirrors. I can't wait to get these up in my flat when they manage to get here.

Now I just need to find a space for them...cue clever Mr Mike's suggestion to just get rid of some of my "stuff" to make room for them. I think NOT!

 A gold crest motif, which now sits perfectly on the front of our fake fireplace.

 This gorgeous 1940's dress is a luxuriously soft cotton summer dress....but there's no way I can possibly hold on until then. Besides, blue and cream works with brown right? I'm thinking brown What Katie Did seamed stockings, a brown cardigan and a fur collar. That's wintery.

Phew! What a fab bunch of present buyers I know, eh? As you can imagine, I was all smiles.

Pip pip x

People of Norwich, thanks for all the stuff!

Hi all,

I am currently taking some time off at the moment, and have escaped that big smoky city of London and come to stay with my family in Norwich. Naturally, I have done a little secondhand shopping and picked myself up some delights!


Now first and foremost is my very favourite buy, and probably my most bizarre!

 

I picked up this vintage St John's Ambulance anatomical diagram wall hanging (almost as tall as me) for £25. 

Although I was trying not too spend too much money and I rarely buy things at such a price, I just couldn't let this one pass me by! I have been obsessed with old anatomical diagrams for years and been desperate for one of these. My excuse it that we were desperately in need of something to fill the void on the wall behind the tv. So if anything, it was a necessary buy....right? (I'll keep telling myself that)

This little vintage felt tilt hat cost me £5. It needs a clean and a bit of a steam and reshape, but it has lots of potential.

 This morning me and my friend set off to our favourite carboot for some very cold bargain hunting and these (along with a couple of presents for people which I cannot show you but am very pleased with) are the gems I picked up:

 

This skirt looks to me to be a vintage military skirt, possibly Navy? I'd guess this judging by the style and the nature of a lot of the other items on this same stall. It cost me £2! Very happy.

 

 The skirt has a curious little asterisk stitched into the inside of the waistband! I wonder why. Puzzling!

 

I am very pleased to have found this framed Lord Kitchener mirror, which probably dates from around the 70's. My Dad picked one up from a carboot previously and I found myself greatly jealous. So when I came across this one for £4 I snapped it up.

The grey box bag is a fabulous size for carting around all the rubbish that inhabits my handbag and even has little pockets for the things that so often get lost and tangled...lipstick, kirbygrips etc. A steal at £3.

The orange/red beads were £1, as were the clip on suspender straps still in their packet!

 

I am very pleased with my purchases and can't wait to get my mirror and wall hanging up in my flat on my return to London!

Pip pip xx

My accidental collections: Royal souveneirs of the past!

Hello all!

I hope you have all been having a wonderful long weekend of Jubilations for Queenie.

Now, today I thought what would be better to share with you than my collection of royal memorabilia. I call it an accidental collection as it is one which has come together somewhat by...well...accident. I adore the images on vintage royal memorabilia, and the glorious colours, and so after picking up a a few little things and showing my admiration of certain other pieces, my family soon began to gift me items they found.

And thus, my collection came about!

 

My first piece of royal memorabilia, a jewelled carriage brooch from the 1953 coronation! Gifted to me by my Auntie.

This darling little coronation toothbrush mug was a present from my lovely chum Frankie as we perused a rather fruitful carboot. I bought him a royal mug at the same carboot, a sort of royal present swap!

 

 I also picked up this beautiful coronation flag for only £5....near perfect condition and rescued from under a pile of junk in a box. I told you it was a fruitful carboot that day!

 

Silver jubilee mugs: gift from my Dad and Step-Mum, coronation mug: gift from my Mum.

Silver jubilee glasses: gifts from my Dad and Step-Mum.

Silver jubilee shot glasses: gift from my Dad and Step-Mum.

1937 coronation book: a super bargain at only 50p from a carboot.

Look at the photos of a young Queen, with her Mum, Dad and sister!

My gorgeous tin coronation souvenir plates: a gift from my Dad and Step-Mum. 

These live on the wall either side of the bed, Queenie on my side and Philip on Mr Mike's, naturally.

My parents gave me this beautiful framed print of the Queen that had been hanging on the wall in their house making me jealous for years! She has glittery jewellery and crown!

 

Coronation hairclips! Purchased from ebay.

Wonderfully grotesque Diana and Charles teatowel: gift from my Dad and Step-Mum.

My lovely pal Hannah sent me this vintage postcard.

 

This impressive tankard has a copper lustre effect and is 13cm high! It was produced by Ridgways in 1953 to celebrate the coronation and is truly wonderful.

It was bought for me by my Dad and Step-Mum.

This little chap is a beefeater given to me by my Dad and Step-Mum.

 

This wonderful item was produced to celebrate the 1937 coronation of King George VI. It is a 3 piece brass-plated money box, and I was lucky enough to pick it up from a carboot for £3.

 

This odd looking chap is a beefeater that lives on a rug in my flat. I, in fact, have two....no idea of why they exist, but I am rather fond of them nonetheless.

Passed on to me from....well, can you guess?

Why, my Dad and Step-Mum of course!

 I  don't think I realised quite how much I had until I set about on my mission to photograph it for this post. Blimey!

I hope you've not dozed off just yet, for I have one more piece to show you...

 

 This is my very own homemade Diamond jubilee souvenir; a pretty royal rosette badge!

I spent Sunday working in the WI tent at Battersea Park, teaching soggy but excitable children to make these as souvenirs for the day. The rosette's went down a treat, and I had a jolly good time!

And the best bit? It is based on a rosette badge that was given out as a souvenir for the 1953 coronation, which my boss was lucky enough to find and decided to recreate.

Have you got a collection of royal memorabilia? Have you been making anything special for the jubilee?

Do show and tell if so, I'd love to see!

Pip pip xx

A little trip homewards...

For those of you who read my ramblings on this blog, I'm sure you have noticed that there's nothing more I like than to take a trip back to Norfolk to visit my family. That is except from taking a trip home to rummage for pretty things with my family.

So when I got the opportunity to pop home for the weekend last month I simply leapt at the chance!

 Lucky for me, it coincided with the wonderful summery weather which was perfect for a bit of vintage hunting and a garden party to celebrate my Mumma's birthday.

When I arrived home I was greeted by some rather brilliant presents from both sets of parents...

 

I spent the Saturday on a hunt for exciting things with my Dad and Step-Mum, visiting the Loose's fleamarket, charity shops, and an antiques shop. I came home with a few delightful treats:

 

Communist China (apparently) era waste paper basket - £3.50, Yellow 1960's handbag - £12,

1940's sunglasses - £5, jewelled clip on earrings - £1.50.

In the evening I travelled over to my Mum's to celebrate her birthday with a garden party. They have a pretty enchanting garden (vegetable patch, shepherds hut, fire pit, trampoline, climbing frame, wendy house, potting shed) which made the perfect setting for the festivities.

Cue a few drunken people tripping over guy ropes to the tipi; children running wild; an incident with some children, a purple drink, my 1940's dress and resulting in a very soggy me; and some very sore heads in the morning...not mine, you understand! I was keeping myself in a good state so I could fully enjoy the carboot on Sunday morning!

Speaking of which, due to the glorious weather we were enjoying, was out in force. I bought some things for the flat (pewter swan, 1950's magazine wall racks, eggcup, knitting bag....) and a couple of items of clothing (1960's cardigan and a 1940's dress in need of some quite serious tlc) of which I did not get around to taking photos of but I can assure you were all items I truly *NEEDED*...well, as much as anyone can ever need a pewter swan or another knitting bag. These things are surely crucial to my existence, right?!

We were later met by my chap, who drove down to Norwich with a big van to be filled with the backlog of carboot treasures which I never EVER have enough room in my suitcase to get back to London, and some furniture acquired from my parents. What I was expecting to be a few bits and pieces soon turned into a rather crammed van full of belongings! I can tell you that it is very stressful trying to justify to yourself (and your rather minimalist boyfriend) why you need quite so much stuff. I think the prospect of unloading said stuff and carrying it up 3 flights of stairs upon arrival back in London didn't exactly help!

But the main thing is, we did it. Our flat is looking rather cosy and all that stuff o'mine are finding their homes within our little flat!

Did anyone else utilise the lovely weather to get themselves a carboot fix?

Pip pip xx

A trip to see The Artist: what I wore.

On wednesday, me and Mr Mike had a rare day off together, and used it to go and see The Artist in a posh cinema (think sofas, tables, service in your seat) and eat the most delicious cinema snacks (cocktails, honey roasted cashews, and hummus and freshly baked bread).

For those of you who have the opportunity to see this film, and have not: I URGE you to do it. It is absolutely phenomenal.
Honestly, I laughed, and cried...a lot.
I want to see it all over again!

What did I wear for such cinematic luxury? 

  

Faux fur stole: carboot.

Tweed blazer: charity shop, £4.

Felt poppies brooch: carboot, 10p.

  

Dress: Heyday.

I wore my new-to-me tweed blazer teamed with a faux fur stole for warmth....and of course I wore these wonders on my tootsies too. I've wanted a tweed blazer for an absolute age, but have always felt a bit like I'm dressing up in "grown-ups clothes" so I had resisted buying one. Until now. For £4, who could refuse? And I think I am beginning to warm to it! And IN it. (giggle).

I chose to wear my green matt Heyday 'Mary' dress, which I absolutely adore! I simply can't get enough of it. Anyone want to donate me the pennies for another? 

Nope, thought as much.

*looks at empty purse*

Le sigh!

Are any of you going to see The Artist?
You'll all be swooning over the lead, Mr George Valentin!

Pip pip xx

Battersea carbooty!

Now, I like nay love a good carboot.

I blame the fam...when I am back home visiting my fam in Norwich, we attend as many as we can fit in. And we always leave them laden with things.

Weirdly though, in my 4 years of living in the big smoke, I have never gotten around to attending a carboot here! 

So on sunday, with a day to myself and no plans whatsoever (well, before the dreaded nightshift), I finally attended my first ever London carboot...Battersea!

And boy am I glad I did!

I ventured down south of the river, and jumped off the bus with glee as I reached my destination! I'm not joking when I say I may well have let out a little yelp of excitement as I approached the school playground. An old chap curtsied to me and said I had a wonderful skirt on, which made me chuckle as I handed over my 50p entrance fee- and I was off.

There were plenty of stalls and it was rammed.....and this was on a wet day, so one can only imagine what it must me like on a sunny day! There was the standard mix of junk, bric a brac, vintage and antique, as well as a burger van and a chap selling rather delicious looking cakes (of which I might've bought one had I not been saving every penny I had in case it was needed for treasures).

Want to see what I picked up?

(apologies for the pictures, you can't get a proper sense of how wonderful the dresses are with them just being on a hanger, but alas Mr Mike is off visiting his fam up north and thus not around to take photos of me in them, and my beloved dressmakers dummy Diana has a broken leg)

My first buy was this charming 50's(?) basket bag for a mere £1! It was nestled in amongst some terribly awful bags in a box labeled "All bags £1.50 £1". I saw a lady handling this and hovered behind her until she put it down, then swooped in before she had a chance to change her mind! 

Then I spotted this beauty fluttering in the (very strong) wind...

A beautiful floral 40's wrap dress! For £7! I couldn't even tell if it would fit me, but I thought it was worth the risk...it was! It just about fits, with a slip underneath to avoid any big reveals of course! I love that this was obviously home made by some lady, the inside seams are raw, and one of the front edges is just the fabric's selvedge, not even seamed! Delicious.

Now from the same lady, I also purchased this butterfly in a gold frame. He's mounted on gold leaf, no less! He was only £1 and is beautiful.

And also, again from the same lady, I got this lovely lace dress...

It's made of a delicate white lace, with a peplum waist and capelet sleeves. She gave me this and the slip she would wear under it for £7 too. The lace has a slight tear to it, but I can put some tiny stitches in it. I have images in my head of an elegant lady (not me) wearing this to summer garden parties where she would drink tea and eat cakes! 

Next I found this gorgeous knitted dress for £5.

You can't see from the photos, but the colour is a pale yellow, with lilac flowers and stripes running through it. It has a little tie waist and a flared skirt. I just love the colour combination, and the little crocheted flowers at the neckline!

I have no idea how old (or recent) the lace and knitted dresses are! Any of you clever ladies got any clues? The lace one has some overlocked seams, so can't be as old as it looks. And the knitted one seemingly has machine-sewn seams and hand sewn hems. I have literally no idea with these but would love to find out!

Next, with funds running low I picked up this cotton hankie with an embroidered 'P' for £1. This is a present that I am going to pop in the post for my nan!

And finally, with only £3 left in my purse, I found this little mirror for £2 and snapped it up.

On the back it states "To commemorate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth", and features a gold silhouette of the two, and the year "1937".

On the front, it says "Louis H. Emm ~ The Warlingham Grocer". I've done a little bit of a google search but have thus far found nothing. I wish I could find out some information on this mirror! Why does it exist? Who did it belong to? Who is Louis H. Emm? Was he The Warlingham Grocer? I need to know!

All in all, I'd say this was a very successful sunday, and I shall most definitely be returning to the Battersea carboot.

And guess what...it doesn't start til 1.30pm!  Possibly the most perfect sunday carboot start time.

Did any of you lovely lot visit any carboots this weekend? Have any of you ever been to the Battersea one? Or got any London carboting tips?

Pip pip xx