Tuesday 12 August 2008

Boots, Clogs & Pelican Feet



I saw a patch of blue sky this morning as I lay in bed with my cup of tea (Mr Ragged Roses is on holiday, oh the joys of the first cup of tea of the day in bed!). I watched the blue disappear behind the clouds and traced its course across the sky. After endless days of grey and dreary skies this little blue patch was as rare a spotting as a flying pig. What fun it would be to be able to relax into summer knowing that you could wake up every morning to be greeted by the sun. The greyness that passes for summer here literally colours everything. Aha, as I write the blue patch has filled the sky and my thoughts are filled with ways to enjoy the day.



On Saturday (just like Friday, Thursday and Wednesday) it poured and poured. We spent the day recklessly sorting and sifting through our belongings for a car boot on Sunday. I spent Saturday night awake listening to the gale force winds outside the window and dreading the morning. Well the blue patch returned and we scuttled up to the car boot with a car full of booty. Not the best way to spend a sunny morning but a good way to swell the coffers! It would have been a tad more profitable if Big Sister and I hadn't gone a roaming and rummaging amongst the other stalls with the profits in our pockets!



I found this lovely First Aid kit to sit in the bathroom, perhaps I should trap some of the sunshine inside it and open it just a little on those very grey days.



I don't know if the lack of sun had finally got to me but one of my favourite finds was a clog! Yes, that's right just the one clog, tatty, garrishly painted with peeling varnish. The stallholder gave it to me for nothing. As soon as I saw it it was love. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it (apart from hiding it from Mr Ragged Roses who was seriously questioning the sense of letting me loose with all our hard won earnings).



I painted it a very soft pearly grey, added some pale, pale blue detail and have spent a couple of days walking around the house, clog in hand. It will end its days as a doorstop, but has spent time in the bathroom, bedroom and dining room.



It blends so beautifully with the wooden floorboards that it will only be a matter of time before somebody stubs their toe on it and I shall have to have a serious rethink.



Which leads me to Pelican Feet, this might be what our feet will look like after the said stubbing, but is the name of some seashells that I discovered in my other little treasure. - this King Penguin book of British Shells. I love these books, they are so beautifully illustrated. This one now sits proudly on my bookshelf, with its jacket on show, but it might not be long before it joins the First Aid box as a doorstop and a clog cunningly steals its place on display.

36 comments:

Simone said...

I wonder what happened to the other clog? If you do stub your toe and end up with pelican feet at least you have your recently purchased first aid case!

mollycupcakes said...

I wish i could get out to boot fairs more offen, i miss out on so many :(
The old first aid box is fabulous and the clog reminds me of childhood holidays to Amsterdam, happy days.
Good idea about keeping some sun in a box and opening it when needed.
Wouldn't mind a bit now the skies just gone grey as I'm typing argh! British summer lol

Hugs
Catherine x

Tracy said...

Lovely clog transformation...I wonder if it's missing it's lost twin, out there somewhere, still looking tatty... ;o) Happy Days ((HUGS))

Country Bliss said...

Lovely first aid box, if only we could trap some sunshine in a box!
Yvonne

A Saucerful Of Secrets said...

Hi Kim, I haven't been car booting for years, buying or selling!something tells me I'm missing out on some real treasures.I particularly love your shell book, fab illustrations.We're a bit water logged here in Gloucestershire,isn't it pants?Oh well,it's lovely hearing from you, Best Wishes from Annie x

pinkgreen said...

I love the idea of just one clog - there's a mystery attached to it! It's also a very beautiful clog and will make a great doorstop. Well worth a few broken toes!
Cathy X

Sal said...

A lovely clog,Kim!
What is a patch of blue sky? I've forgotten!! ;-)

Amanda and Tim said...

I sometimes wish I lived somewhere sunnier but then I remember just how sweet the blue sky can be when it arrives and realise that nowhere I have ever been can beat the beauty of a glorious summer's day in Britain - I'll take all that rain just for a few weeks on sun :o)

Lovely clog - I know I would trip over it though hehe - but I wouldn't mind so much if it was a pretty thing like that!!

French Knots said...

I have been sorting stuff out in preparation for doing a boot fair on Bank Holiday Monday - no doubt it will be raining like the rest of our ' summer'!
I'd like a box of sunshine too, I can hardly remember what it looks like.

Unknown said...

Kim, You should write a book of all your observations & lovely thoughts!!! I would be first in line to purchase it!!!...I also wanted to let you know I gave you a little award on my blog today!....Glad we're friends!...heidi XO

Carol said...

Hi Kim,
I do love the painted clog...and what is funny I have a set for a whole family of 4 in my garage - which I have told Mr N. I shall paint them oneday to display - just like I paint everything else...hehehe..so I did giggle when I saw your painted clog!
The first Aid box is lovely too - if you can call it that !
I am in the middle of painting a very old deck chair and bought some gorgeous fabric to replace the dusty tatty old fabic...silly but things like this make me happy!
Enjoy your little bit of blue.
Carol xx

Garden Girl said...

Love your fabulous finds, Kim, especially the first aid box, that's a proper box as well! (much nicer than garish green plastic one I purchased fromn the cash and carry this morning!-complete with blue plasters!)
I think I am to blame for the rain, as I have just bought some outside furniture for the cafe...sorry bout that...!
As soon as I saw your clog I thought it would make a perfect door stop as well...great minds and all that!x

Unknown said...

That's what car boots are all about, never mind selling your own stuff, it's what your find that makes it all so fabulous. Love the clog, and the shell book is so perfect and brings back so many memories of childhood holidays.
Rosie

Heidi said...

Well, how is that for a bargain? Free! And it turned out so adorable. I have a pair of old wooden shoes on my plant shelves up at Cranberry Cottage. I love how they are now all weathered and old looking. I use them in autumn on my table with gourds. I think a doorstop is a great idea. The book is a work of art. I agree that there is nothing like finding a book with great illustrations in it. I just won a book on eBay that was a first edition and the opening picture is in perfect condition which was so thrilling to see so I know just how you feel. Great finds!!!

Hugs ~
Heidi

Betty said...

I think that clog is cute! And I love that blue pitcher and those yellow buttons!! We have sun every day all summer long and I would love to wake up to some stormy, rainy skies. Summer thunder and rain storms are the best! I'll gladly trade places for a week or two.

Louise said...

You were very brave to do a carboot with all the terrible weather we have been having. I am glad it stayed dry enough for you. You definitely had vision when you spotted the clog, a nice restoration! Love the shell illustrations too, the book was a good find. x

Gone to Earth said...

That is a seriously beautiful clog. I wonder what adventures it had in it's past life - does it feel sad without its partner? I'm sure you're lavishing enough love on it to make it happy again. Gorgeous blue pitcher too. ....could get wistful about the idea of summer and blue skies 'cos it 'ain't here.

Julia

Carol said...

Hi Kim I have somethng for you...pop over soon. Carol xx

Wayfaring Wanderer said...

After lovely weather, we are experiencing some of what you were going through......

I like your little clog, very cute!

julia said...

You've had sunshine - how dare you!! Love the clog, what a great idea to paint it.
The car boot trips have been seriously hampered by the weather round here, I'm suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms, but it will be all the sweeter when I do get back there!
Julia x

Thimbleanna said...

What a fun idea to use a clog for a doorstop. I hope you've had a bit more sun this week too!

Cassie said...

I love your clog! If I had one though I could not use it as a door stop, as the girls would be wearing it around the house! Thanks for sharing all of your lovely finds and I do hope you get more sunshine.

Shirl said...

Lovely finds; I love going treasure hunting at the boot fair!

Cowboys and Custard Mercantile said...

I am glad to see you were let off the leash to roam around the booty.
I am like a headless chicken at a car boot sale .. rushing up and down the aisles scanning the tat and treasure as I go.
I would have missed that clog in my haste to find a 'real find' and yet you have made it a thing of beauty.
I hope there are a few more clement weekends ahead for more treasure seeking and selling!
D XX

Niki Fretwell said...

Such a cute little make-over Kim! Love the colour that you chose.

Hope you saw some blue today (we did!)
Niki x

Andylynne said...

I do like the clog and it's new persona. But the shell book is what caught my attention. What a wonderful day you had. I think there would be something seriously amiss if you went to the boot sale, and didn't even LOOK around let alone not buy anything :) My kitchen is blue and yellow so that pitcher reall caught my eye too.
Oh and you pink tea party was beautiful!!!

Sal said...

Hi there...I have left you an award on my blog ;-)

Clover Yard said...

What fantastic finds and a great clog makeover I must say. A very original door stop too. Wishing you lots more of that blue stuff.
Carolx

Ally Jay said...

The clog is just the sort of thing that makes you think of stories. who wore it, when etc. Sorry to hear about the rain, hoping you get some sun soon.

Gina said...

Thank you for taking me along this journey, it is so sweet and lovely. The colors so soft, wonderful.

April said...

Hi, I've left you an award on my blog, please stop by and check it out!

April xx

Pam said...

Very pretty. Very you.

Hen said...

Hello,
I've just discovered your blog and just wanted to say how enjoyable it is. Your photos are great.
Best wishes
Hen

MelMel said...

I love the clog....what a great idea...looks so pretty!

MelMel said...

Hello!
I love your blog....so very pretty!
Thank you for your good wishes, so kind of you.

I'm going to Suffolk this weekend, to Visit in Husbands family, they live in a little village which is always a real treat for me.....they have the sweetest little cottage, that used to be the vets.

We are hoping to go to Lavenham, which has loads of antique shops and a fantastic shop that does all vintage clothes and bags, i'll take some pictures and put them on next week!

have a great weekend!! Doing anything nice......though living where you do, you have so much beauty around you already...i went to Hailsham earlier this yr...we had the most fantastic time....we also went to Brighton, i manage to squeeze in a visit to Cath kidston!! yippee!!! xxx

Pelican Cases said...

That must be one of the nicest gifts I have ever seen. Really, I mean it's not something typical or anything like that, it's more of an enhanced upgrade to the original production. It's always fun to give something that looks like there was a lot of thought put into it which is what we all like to call, "priceless". So let's all take at least one day every so often, maybe even be spontaneous and let's form some sort of gift to give someone special to us that bit of recognition to know that we still care :) it'll be fun!