March #Stylewise

I'm busy with real life at the moment, lots of follow up appointments with the husband and blogging is perhaps not a regular as it should be.  

Boot Sale Treasure

Hubby is working today and I needed the car, so what else is there to do after dropping him at work at 6am, but pop along to the bootsale at Matford in Exeter.

Slim Pickings !

I don't know if its because I am no longer looking to buy stock to sell or because there just wasn't much around today, but for the first time ever I came away from the bootsale with hardly any treasure.  Not impressed having dragged myself out of bed at 5.15 this morning !

I did find this vintage crock bed warmer that had been painted white and given a pretty decoupage heart.  Lovely condition and a steal at just £2.  I'm going to use it as a door stop for my bedroom door which refuses to stay open.

How many times have I said this "I LOVE BUYING FROM MEN" Seriously !  THEY GIVE STUFF AWAY !  Next up this gorgeous Portmeirion Botanic Blue Jug.  Absolutely immaculate and soooo pretty.  50p !!! 50p !!! What was he thinking ! 50p !  I ALMOST told him to keep the change from the £1 !

So Pretty.  Looks lovely in my kitchen and there it will stay, oh yes it will !

I am always on the lookout for baskets or wooden crates.  I have a little obsession going on.  Snatched this huge log basket up for £4 !  Great for all the apples ready for picking at the moment from the old apple tree in our garden.

Going to keep this basket in the house, not sure what to store in it as we have no open fires in our home but love the Rustic look of it.  Its, clearly been around for a while.

So that was it !  Nothing else found today.  I was a bit reluctant to leave the bootsale convinced that I must be missing the treasure and that SOMEBODY must have something.  But, no after several trips around the market nothing else appeared so off home I went.

 As I needed to go food shopping I thought I would also pop into The Vintage Trading Centre on Marsh Barton.  I hadn't had my fix of bargain hunting and I usually find an unusual treasure or two in there.  I wasn't disappointed.  Found this little darling.

LOVE IT ! Solid wood vintage rack with immaculate ceramic and wood canisters for Tea, Coffee and Sugar.

So, all was not lost.

Maybe better luck next week (although hubby was pleased as we have just got the house decluttered ).

Hidden History

Out treasure hunting I am always on the lookout for old picture frames I can upcycle into

The early bird and all that

Follow my blog with Bloglovin Getting back into the swing of the early starts for the bootsale after a long break can take some willpower.  I paid for my late arrival last week by having to park some distance from the market.  No such worries this morning.  I was up and out of bed at 5.30 without the aid of an alarm clock, my only worry was that it would still be raining, it wasn't , yipee!

I had no trouble parking this morning but also found, maybe I was a tiny bit early as there was barely a car or van on the site.

I took the opportunity to grab a coffee and a loo break so I wouldn't have any distractions once the gates opened proper to the sellers.  I always find this stage of the morning unsettling, it always appears like lots of people are delving into boots and backs of vans and making off with all manner of treasure.  Once I make my first purchase I am fine and feel like I am off and running.  The first purchase this morning was :

This fabulous  old plaster framed picture.  Obviously it was only the frame I was interested in and even in its battered state I think its wonderful !  Not even going to repair it, I know there are buyers in my shop who will also appreciate its shabby beauty and if nobody buys it, it will come home with me.

 

Always love a pretty stool, this will look perfect painted and also be a really useful addition to the home.

Pair of modern but pretty jugs

oh ! oh! oh!  If you can't have mason jars then these are the next best thing !  Snapped up these four La Parfait Preserve jars out from under the nose of a woman who was consulting a friend on the phone.  If you snooze, you loose ladies.

New wicker bicycle basket.

 

Pretty yellow enamel jug with pewter lid

Time for Tee !  Must be German looking at the spelling.  Love this.

I always try to find local pottery.  Love this pretty jar made by a local potter in Devon.

Two old slate boards, complete with little wooden shelf for the chalk.

Yep, definitely getting back into the bootsale swing of things.

Linking up with the lovely Liz at Magpie Monday

One man's trash

 

I found this monster of a table at the bootsale.  It was dark, stained and very, very heavy solid wood.  The top was beyond redemption but I could immediately see the potential with all the detail to the underside and legs.

When I looked at the piece I imagined a wonderful ocean swept piece of furniture sitting perfectly in a beachside retreat.

After a LOT of sanding, several coats of white paint, a top coat of beautiful clouded sky from the Origins range by Dulux, some gently rubbing down and waxing I am really, really pleased with the result and if it doesn’t sell.  I’m keeping it !

Magpie Monday - Stuff, stuff and more stuff

Despite loosing an hour's sleep getting up at what amounted to 5 am to take hubby to work, I had a bumper morning at the boot sale.  The sellers were out in force (but so were the buyers). Elbows at the ready I ploughed in.

First find this gorgeous large cake stand from a (regular) seller who I haven't seen over the winter, but who has now reappeared.  She goes to France to source her stock.  Love it, so pretty.  The bonus is her items are always immaculate and clean too.

Lovely hand painted cup and saucer from the same seller

Set of three beautiful Soup bowls and plates or you could use them for a large cup of steaming coffee.  Yum.

I found lots of plates yesterday, this stunning plate is Royal Worcester

Another stunning plate from the same seller, hand painted flowers on a transfer print.

Set of really pretty unmarked plates.  These again, an example of how something can sit sad and filthy in a box but can wash up a dream.

Stunning Grimwades Byzanta Ware Lustre small bowl

Pretty Side Table already repainted in Craig and Rose paint !  I thought I recognised the colour when I saw it, got talking to the seller and managed to knock £4 off the price.  I will rub it down a bit, give it a wax and think it will look much better.  Looking a bit flat at the moment but I love the shape.

Absolutely beautiful coffee set.  I might not be able to bring myself to sell this just yet.  Talking to the seller, who was Dutch, she told me her three daughter used to play with it when they played house !  All I can say is they must be amazing children, its in immaculate condition.  I regret now that I didn't also buy a pair of the authentic clogs off her too.  She had about six pairs of children's clogs in all different colours.  Argh!  Always something you regret picking up.

Pretty Colclough tea set trios

Woop! another 1950's Meakin plate to add to my now growing collection.  This one is called Covered wagon.  I love it, so as with all my other "story" plates what do you think the story is here ???

I have lots and lots more stock but haven't the time to put anymore on today.  Will do another post later in the week.  Now that the nice weather is bringing out the fairweather sellers its looks like I might have to up my bootsale budget.

One last thing today, not begging or anything but if you like my blog and think its worthy I would LOVE you to nominate my blog in the home or photography category of the MAD BLOG AWARDS  You need to pop a blog name in first along with your email and name then you can go to the second page which gives you the catagories.  Thank you so much if you take the time to vote, it means so much to me xx 

Linking up with Lizzies MagpieMonday