OP SHOP MAMA

13 April 2011

Weekly COLLEcTION SelectIOn - my challenge! Week 4

TIN TRAYS!

I've got a thing about tin!! I love it! These trays are stored here standing up next to the jug and I use them a lot, along with the melamine ones..

But I would like to look at them all day, Would they look cool hanging on a wall? I don't know...Maybe I'll give it a go one day!!

THESE kids' tin plates are my favourite favourites!! We had them when we were kids and we actually used to eat off them.

I am totally gleeful when I find one in my hunting.. and I'll buy it no matter whether it's dented or rusty!!

Garage Sale-ing

I went to a couple of Garage Sales on Saturday. In days past I used to be WAY more hardcore... mapping out the route to get around all of them, and getting up at the crack of dawn, and doing as many as possible...

These days I just go to the BIG ones.. the JUMBLE SALES or Galas/Fairs to check out the 'White Elephant' stalls. The ones at churches and schools, or the ones that say 'Fundraiser' in the listing!

One thing is always the same.. I come home refreshed and renewed.. either because of the cool stuff I find, and/or because I have had a wonderful morning hunting - time for myself! (Although sometimes, as on this Saturday past, I go with a friend or family member..)

Just a couple of things..

(I can't quite remember what I got - it was 5 days ago

and that seems like AGES in this household!

In a good way!)

I felt as though I ought to know this monkey from somewhere... He looks so familiar!

He is very quirky and made out of that old plastic.. His shoe needs some attaching ..
but aside from that he/she is in perfect condition!

Lovely birds!

Kitsch-a-rama!

8 April 2011

Weekly COLLEcTION SelectIOn - my challenge! Week 3

RETRO WALLPAPER

I've always collected this.. picked some up when I was at High School from a Garage Sale.. it was pink paisley and I was smitten! I have never put any on a wall.. as I thought I'd be too sad to leave it behind when I move house..

I have put sections of it up.. on panels and just drawing pinned to walls. One day, when my kids are PAST the ripping-wallpaper-off-the-walls phase, and drawing-on-the-walls phase I might hang some properly!!

This is about a half of my stash!!

favourite no.1!

My friend Kathy has this same wallpaper in her kitchen.. LOVE it!

Fantastic kids' wallpaper. Such cute cows!

The first roll I found, aged c.15

And this is why I won't put any up for a few years!!!!

7 April 2011

Five Friday Faves

ANOTHER week has passed!! Unbelieveable.

70s bathroom! I'd end up hanging out in here WAY too much!

Granny Squares.. love them!!

And this is what some inspired individual did with Granny Squares!!

True that!

DAHLIAS!! One of my faves..

GOT THESE FROM (lovingly of course)

1. Mmm working on that one sorry!

2.STruggling on this one too sorry! Will edit when I find the origin..

3.here/

4.here

5. HERE

LA LA LA PRETTY FLAMINGOES! ( My virtual collection!)

I've got a thing about flamingoes. I think they're terrific. And as I get older and kitschier I love them more!! Is it their pinkness? How unique they are - A pink bird, that's pretty unique...? Or their retro kitsch factor? Dunno.. but I am goingto collect them. All I have so far is one with flapping wings in the garden that the kids keep pulling out and some clothing items..

Here are a few FLAMINGO things that set my heart racing!! How shallow am I???!!

And that's what I want.. a whole lawn full of them!!

Got the pic here

LOVE this! And looks do-able too!
Got it here

Cupcakes!

SUCH a funky wedding!! Love the flamingoes down the aisle!! See more here

Flamingo Lovers!

And this is from the most amazing knitting sharing website Ravelry. I am going to make this one day.. Defo!

5 April 2011

GRATEFUL

OK so I've seen in a lot of beautiful blogs this GRATEFUL thing.. And I think it's a GREAT (pun intended) idea. The thing is that we can lose track of the really wonderous things especially when you're Mummying away and you're buried under Mt Washmore, and the place is a disaster zone, and the kids are squabbling, and there is NO evening meal organised etc etc

So I'm going to do this too. I'm sure there's a linky thing that I should be doing to join up with the other grateful posts on a blog hop or something... but for the life of me my non-techno-savvy brain won't let me find out about how to do that..(PLease let me know if you're reading this and you know!)

I'M GRATEFUL FOR...

* Peace and quiet in the evenings!

* These big eyes.

* Butterfly rescues (well, attempted ones.. there wasn't much hope for this one sadly.. its wings didn't unfurl properly - sob, sob) But I'm grateful to the kids for their enthusiastic nurturing.. which even involved pushing this butterfly in former fondue pot around in a pushchair.