I spy with my little eye...a bit of Cath?

Last week I took the The Big Man's Mum and Dad to a local market.  The Big Man's Mum likes markets and I must admit I use to turn my nose up at them, but now I'm a true convert.  Looking for that every elusive bargain to spend my (the Big Man's) pennies on is such a thrill. 

Whilst we ambled along, (the Big Man's Mum was walking with an elbow crutch, but that's a whole other story), I spied a rather "interesting" stall.  "Could it be?  Surely not?  What if it is?"  Pushing my disabled Mother In Law aside and dragging the Wee Man behind me I dashed to the stall and gasped.  Obviously not at those prices.  It can't be!  But did I care?  Not in the slightest.  

I wanted to take a photo of the stall but I'm sure the stall holder would have taken offence though probably not to the extent that she would have called the police, considering what she was selling.  

It was CK heaven, think of all the CK bags, in CK fabrics at market prices.  T'was heavenly.  By the time the Big Man's parents had caught up with us (disapproving looks included), I had a haul of bags in front of me deciding which one I wanted.  I wanted all of them obviously but I'm sure the Big Man would have had some chose words for me if I'd gone home with the entire collection.  

After some posing in front of a shop window and getting strange looks from the patrons of the bookies, I finally chose this gorgeous beauty. 

Lookey at the gorgeous flowers.  Pink and blue and all pretty looking.  It makes my tummy go all topsy turvy. It has all the pockets and space I need to carry all the Wee Man's stuff around with me.  Though probably not to the extent of my gorgeous tote bag from Cartier.  

The Wee Man got in on the act too and posed with a London print bag and insisted I bought that one instead.  As much as I love the London print I just can't see myself with it.  Maybe if I were four years old and London bus mad, I could have though.

As I paid I for the bag, second guessing my choice all the while, I noticed the Big Man's Mum barking her usual orders at the Big Man's Dad (he's ever so slightly hen pecked!).  She'd decided she wanted some CK action too.  Now I must tell you something about my dear Mum in Law.  She is a self proclaimed shopaholic and will buy things for the sake of buying things.  This drives me insane, as she will happily spend £20 on something that will spend it's life in the back of a cupboard.  I could go on, but I won't. 

I tried in vain to talk her out of buying a bag as I knew she would not use it.  It's not her style at all and it was way too big for her.  She has trouble getting around and the last thing she needs is a huge oilcloth bag swinging at her side.  But it was to no avail and she promptly bought a a bag because she "..wants one!".  Sigh!  

Can you guess what she's done with the bag that is of no utter use to her?  The bag that is way too big for her and will hinder her already hindered movement?  The bag that her insane shopaholic magpie mind insisted she buy?  Go on have a guess!

She gave it to me!  Her beloved, caring and thoroughly deserving daughter in law!  Yippeee!!!  That night she posed  with it and decided it was a bit too big for her and she didn't like the design and Dad in Law hated it too.  So I got it, cos I'm a good girl!  

So I have two.  Lookey, lookey, see. 

Bless my Mum in Law and her Shopaholic ways.  Bless her insane mind.  Bless.  

...Car Boot Loot #3

After not making it to the Car Boot last Sunday I awoke this morning in anticipation.  It was a rather mixed bag though.  Not too disappointing as I got a couple of lovelies, but nothing outstanding.

I got four napkins for the bargain price of 25p.  I'd love to say they were vintage but in truth they are "vintage" Debenhams.   Beautiful fabric though and I'm debating whether to keep them as napkins or to use the fabric for a project.

And sitting atop of the napkins in the picture for a meager 50p, is a silver plated knife of some sort.  I'm really not sure what kind of knife it is.  It looks like a small cake slice.  Definitely not a fish knife.  Anyone know what kind of knife it is?    It has gorgeous detail on the handle and with some silver polish and good old elbow grease it will be shiny sparkly new before you know it.

Of course I had to pick a book up for the Wee Man.  He's such a book worm.  This is a favourite of his and he often borrows it from the nursery library.  I would highly recommend it for preschoolers.  For those who don't know the book, it's kind of an "I spy" book.  Lots of fun.

And last but not least a wooden picture frame for 30p.  This is for a project that I have planned and completed in my head.  That's the easy part.  Now to get my bum into gear and get it done.

On Friday I went with the Wee Man to Hitchin antiques and collectibles market.  What a trek it was from the train station.  It's a great market with lots of lovelies at reasonable prices.  Unfortunately by the time we got there, the Wee Man was tired and grumpy.  His mood soon lightened when he spotted the model train stall.  He came away with a new engine for his model railway and I came away with nowt.   Typical!

Happy thrifting everyone.

This post is shared on Joyful Treasure Hunting, Her Library Adventures, Magpie Monday, Thrift Share Monday

...Car Boot Loot #2

I didn't get to go to a car boot yesterday.  Instead we went on steam train rides with Paddington Bear.  So I thought I would show some loot I've bought in the past but never blogged about.

I got this lovely mug from a flea market in York.  It's a vintage mug commemorating the Queen's coronation.  After all the tat that's been around for the recent Royal Wedding it's refreshing to see one that's more elegant than tat.  On a recent visit to Liberty's in London I saw one of these mugs made into a very simple pin cushion and selling for a whopping £30.00.  I had planned to make my £1 mug into a profit making pin cushion but I have rather fallen in love with it.  I am by no means a Royalist but is rather pretty, don't you think?

I got these teacup trios from a Car Boot sale over the winter.  They are marked Queen Anne and if I remember correctly they are from the 50s or 60s.  They were bought for £3.50 and were the remains of a an elderly couples wedding china.

A teeny tiny Minton dish for £1.  I am always tempted to buy these but I have no idea what to use them for.  They're difficult to display and I am ashamed to say it is currently used to store some of the Big Man's endless screws, nuts and bolts "collection".

And my best "buy" from a carboot recently was this...

...a simple Royal Vale tea plate that is currently my favourite, purely because I got it for free.  The lovely seller gave it to me because she had no other matching pieces.  I thanked her and ran away before she was given the chance to change her mind.

Bargains are great but Freebies are better!

This post is shared on Magpie Monday, Thrift Share Monday, Her Library Adventures, Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

...use of her new Cath Kidston bag in London

It was the Big Man and my wedding anniversary on Sunday.  Nine years, or so he tells me.  I'm not good with dates and anniversaries.  It all started a few years ago when I conveniently forgot how old I was(!)

We had a lovely day.  In the past our anniversaries have been all about rekindling our love for each other.  Dinner, presents and whispering sweet nothings and then along came the Wee Man.  Now we have a no present and no card rule.  Mainly because it's just too much effort and always a struggle to buy presents for each other.  Just what do you buy a man who doesn't want anything?!  So I've given up and to play fair I've asked him to give up buying me presents also.

But saying all that Sunday did turn out to be a lovely day.  We all trooped into London and the Wee Man "drove" a DLR train all the way to Greenwich.  Where I disappeared off into Greenwich Market and the Clocktower Market and the boys went to the Maritime museum.  That's where I got to use my new Cath Kidston bag.  The one I got free from Easy Living Magazine.  Look what I crammed in it.

I had a fabulous couple of hours mooching around the markets.  It's the first time I've been able to have a good look around without the Big Man or Wee Man whining.  It was arts and crafts day at Greenwich market and there were lots of lovely and very overpriced goodies there e.g. tea cup candles for £20 and over!

The only thing I got from Greenwhich was a "Keep Calm and Carry On" metal sign.  All rusty and full of charm.  It's for a friend's birthday and I do hope she likes it, rust and all.

After a dish delish lunch.  Yummy, yummy in my tummy.  NB This was shared between the Big Man and me. I did not eat it all myself, though I wouldn't have minded if I did!  Ho Fun noodles with roast duck, vegetable spring rolls and some mouth watering chicken wings.  Looking at it now, there is a distinct lack of greens.  Oh well.

We headed into Covent Garden where again the boys went off to the Transport museum and I got to mooch around Covent Garden Market and Jubilee Market where it was craft day.  I bought a couple of scarves, one for me and another for my friend.

It was a fab day, though I'm not sure it can be called a good anniversary if I spent most of the time away from the Big Man.

The Cath Kidston bag was great.  It's light and can be folded into practically nothing.

It lives at the bottom of my bag now, ready to be whipped out to carry any goodies I collect on my travels.

It holds a lot of stuff for such a smallish bag.

I'd crammed a fair bit in.  You can see from the contents of the bag that I am a bit of a leaflet hog.  I like picking up leaflets and menus and business cards.  I love reading them.  The Wee Man has unfortunately/ fortunately inherited up this habit of mine.

All in all a good day and it did pain me to wrap and post the metal sign.  It would have looked great in my porch.  Oh well will have to keep an eye out for another one.