Thursday 20 September 2007

Let's just call it recycling ...



Is it the same in your house? I suspect I'm not the only one. I spend days tidying, sorting, clearing, recycling, taking things to charity shops, making space and ... regularly visit the car boot to find things to fill the space again! I can't go shopping without a trip into the charity shops (the bane of M's life) and I can't resist waking up early on a Sunday morning, tiptoeing out of the house and spending an hour or so by myself at the local car boot.
Last Sunday was an exception. My oldest had to be at school by 7am to go up to London to sing for Wateraid. Everything was planned with military precision, packed lunch was made, clothes were chosen the night before (no mean feat) and alarm clocks were set. Everything was done to avoid disturbing our youngest child, who will wake if the wind changes direction and is not the easiest of people to be around when serious lacking in the sleep department (mind you, are any of us?). What we hadn't bargained for was the barrage of phone calls at 6,30am from teenage girls asking for a lift up to the school - aargh! Let's just say by 6.35am we were all (youngest included) washed, dressed and ready to go. So off we all trooped to the car boot - it was nice to have some company but I had forgotten just how much time M spends examining all the CDs whilst I want to be haring around finding all the bargains! Not so many bargains on Sunday but I did find some more vintage French buttons for my (ever expanding, space taking collection). I love their colours and the graphics on the cards.


I also bought this old soap box to add to my growing collection of boxes (and, it seems an ever increasing collection of soaps too - I can't resist the smells of vanilla, almond, honey and milk mmmmm). It's such a pretty box and looks great in the bathroom. Not only does it look good but I didn't realise until I got home that it was crammed full of old letters, wedding certificates, letters, newspaper cuttings, calling cards and old stamps too. A life in a box, a little account of life and death in a rural village a century ago, it was a wonderful read.


My youngest too had a dabble at the old bargain hunting. She found this old 1920's/30's painting and fell in love with it. Partly because it was painted by somebody who shared her first name and also because she said the mother in the woods with her little girl picking bluebells reminded her of me and the little girl looked like her. I think it's very sweet and for only £2 we couldn't say no!


Perhaps the best bargain of the week was these 2 french enamel tins. Great for containing those extra shells we found over the summer and some beautiful "Robin's Eggs" soaps (soap again) that my friend gave me for my birthday. We didn't even need to get up early for these two tins as I found them on the way home from school! Somebody else had been having a clear out and left a pile of goodies on the pavement for people to take! My friend found a beautiful pair of old wooden shoe stays and I also found a lovely little wooden cupboard to paint. Well I couldn't really resist ....

39 comments:

Samantha said...

You lucky thing you - more than a hint of jealousy here!

Love those French tins and can't wait to see the cupboard.

Nonnie said...

Oh lovely lovely finds. Well done you. The buttons are great. I just bought more on ebay although they are not old. I just realised my stocks were growing too low. The soap box is beautiful and how wonderful to find all those treasures inside. I haven't been carbooting nearly enough this summer!

Heather ~ Pretty Petals said...

Oh I LOVE this post!! You have posted such gorgoeus goodies! The soaps and the enamelware are soo soo pretty. I share your love of old buttons but atleast they are small?!

YES I feel that way all the time...forever trying to make room for my new finds! lol

What an adorable thing that your daughter picked that painting because it reminds her of you. I love that!

Heather :)

Sophie Honeysuckle said...

Ooh how lovely-who could throw out those lovely french tins? I also LOVE the soapbox and the bluebell picture too!xx

AC said...

Some lovely finds Kim!
Alison x

Anonymous said...

So glad to have found your blog! I too share the thrifting addiction - lovely to see you here at our support group meeting!

The soap box - is the find of the year! The box is lovely but then to find all of those treasures inside?! Fabulous!!!

I love that your girl found a pretty for herself - mine now does the same and it makes her mama proud.

The fabric of my life said...

Fabulous finds, well done :-)

Ali said...

I am visiting the wrong car boot sales! Gorgeous.

Betty said...

Wow! I want to go to a car boot with you. Awesome finds. I love the soap box. I think your daughter has great taste. That's a really pretty picture.

Rubyred said...

What lovely finds,love the soap box and the vintage buttons,I saw lots of buttons at Malvern but they were a bit too pricey!

Heidi said...

Wonderful bargains. We just looked at a brocante market here and talked about how prices are too high and for things that were absolute junk. How do you do it??? And now DD is a chip off the 'ol block. I really love the tins and the robin egg soaps. I love eggs and nests. Can I take your kids to school? LOL!

Anonymous said...

You can never have too many buttons and if you are reycling too...well you are just doing your duty!
The saop box is a great find and I bet reading the history inside sent a shiver down your spine.

ShabbyInTheCity said...

I'm dying over everything you got honestly!
I got something too so I can't feel left out at all...I got my print and thank you so much!! And the extras inside. That was so nice of you to do :)

meggie said...

I love to find treasures like those! And isn't it amazing what some folk throw away!

The Honourable Billy Blunt said...

I would have been delighted with the contents of that tin alone,how fascinating.
I love French soap,the square blocks especially.
You certainly found some wonderful things and it looks like your daughter is picking up on your talents too.
I'm sorry I missed your birthday,hope you had a lovely day.
Kat xx

Anonymous said...

I'm with Samantha on this one, definetly more than a hint of jealousy here, such marveloous finds.

tea time and roses said...

How pretty are all your treasures... I am a soap lover too, I just cannot help myself! I just melt over a bar of beautifully embossed hand milled soap. Your soap box is so pretty and so are the buttons!

Smiles...

Beverly

Heidijayhawk said...

lets just call it recycling? hmmm. lets call it wonderful!

Victoria May Plum said...

Great finds.
I love the tins.

Hope to see photos of your beautiful new (lovingly decorated) cupboard soon, I'm sure that it is fabulous.

Have a great weekend
Victoria x

Pearl Maple said...

How lucky you are to find such lovely things in your recycling trips. It is so exciting to find these charming vintage castoffs that were crafted so well they stand the test to time to be recycled into today’s modern world.

Mary said...

Love old enamel you are so lucky.I also love buttons and can't reist buying more when I see them If only they could talk!!

Cape Cod Washashore said...

I love all your treasures (those buttons cards are wonderful), but what most touched my heart is that sweet painting your daughter chose! =)

ginny said...

Hi Kim,
What a productive Sunday morning!
I love the picture your daughter bought, especially her reasons for wanting it. And the 'life in a box' tin... amazing find ..what great social history. Please tell us more sometime.
Thank you for your anniversary wishes.. we had a lovely evening and the ice bowl worked!
Have a good weekend.
ginny
x

Anonymous said...

Such lovely treasures, Kim! I would have snapped up those enamel tins as well! They make perfect containers for the soaps (which I love as well!) and the shells. It makes me wish that we had boot sales and flea markets that sell such wonderful things! ~ hugs, Lynda ♥

Thimbleanna said...

Yes, it's the same here, except that I spend more time bringing in than cleaning and taking out. It's getting to be too much! LOL. Your buttons look wonderful!

Leanne said...

ooh lovely treasure! (from another boot fair addict!)

leanne x

Suzie Sews At DOTTY RED said...

Oh such lovely finds, I so adore the idea of sneeking out of the house early Sunday, I think I need to remeber this for next year as the car boot season is ending here. That soap box is adorable!!!The history in all those papers, that is the true find, all that emotion and life experence all in one place, precious...
Suzie Sews

Lallee said...

Your new box is a beauty. I love the tin containers, too.

Anonymous said...

Hi, love the blog!
Where could I purchase some of the robins' egg soaps from?
Sandie (Sandies' Patch)

Country Cottage Chic said...

What fantastic finds! And yes, I am of the "clear out" & then "fill up" brigade too!

Mary said...

Oh, what pretty finds! Why do I imagine that your car boots are filled with so much more wonderful stuff than our flea markets or garage sales! And how could anyone get rid of those great French tins?!

Anonymous said...

So wonderful to come here and see all your beauty...I've been offline due to another cold, so sorry to not have come stopped by here before now. Lovely finds...love the soap box and buttons. Happy weekend to you & yours ((Hugs))

Pam said...

I've never been to a car boot sale and I think I'd better keep it that way, unless I'm selling. Our house is rather full...

Pretty things, though.

Clare and Mike said...

Hi Kim, what some great treasures you found - and glad to see your daughter takes after you with her love of vintage and art!

Now you've made me want to go treasure hunting when instead I'm stuck at home painting!!

Clare x

dottycookie said...

Fabulous treasures - and oh, how wonderful to find all the papers in that pretty soap box!

Elzie said...

Oh, I love that soap box. It's so pretty. And yes, I think most of us are like you. Seems as we can't cope with a house that's not filled with things LOL.
Love Elzie

pinkgreen said...

I love recycling! What a gorgeous box. Those buttons are a real find too. I always manage to find black and brown ones - not nearly as pretty as those.
Such a pretty post.
Cathy X

Curlew Country said...

Thanks soooooooo much for the beautiful lavender! It arrived this morning in at our very cold, dreary office in Sheffield. Half of our roof has come off over the weekend so my colleague and I have just spent an hour mopping up. Not the best way to begin Monday morning so opening this heavenly smelling parcel was a delight! Thank you!
Stephx

Gill said...

I love getting up on a Sunday morning too and going off on my own, it's so much easier to look around when you don't have anyone with you. Great finds, you've got an eye for a bargain. And those tins...wow what a result!