Recent buys.

LOVE - LOVE - LOVE - Charity Shops.

I have a particular favourite one.
Todays visit found these goodies:

One mahooosive (made up word meaning bigger than massive!) piece of fabric.

I knew it was big, the label had an alien measurement to me 'yards' but just by looking at it i knew it was big.

Look at the bright colours, they are even brighter in real life.

 

 Selection of Ladybird books.

These are in great condition.

Mick the disobedient puppy has a dust jacket which hides the original cream with blue writing cover. A real treat!

 

This photo shows some which aren't in such good condition.

As i was skimming them over my son commented

"I have never seen anyone look so happy to find ruined and damamged books!"

the scribbles, the rips, no spines = recycling.

 

Last month i cancelled my Mollies Makes subscription.

This one has done well as i usually only keep them for a year before changing but this magazine is more of an inspiration book to me.

BUT all good things come to an end, recently i found the projects were getting more crochet and felting. Plus other crafty magazines were having the same projects.

Which magazine do i buy now?? There are so many!!

When entering WHS to choose i was drawn to the free gift on this one.

I don't usually buy magazines for the free gifts but this one was designed by Jane Foster and i love her work.

Ironically after cancelling my subscription i end up buying the same blooming magazine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

We recently went to Woburn and Alfie was allowed to choose a toy.

Surprisingly, he picked this one!

A cute bumble bee.

This got me wondering - why do we not have more bumble bee toys?

These cute insects are becoming extinct.

Toys could help children learn about them and not be so afraid of them.

PLUS learn the difference between cute bees and horrid wasps.

 

What treats have you brought recently?



minifig me!!!!

It's true - Lego have made me immortal.

Although it is just pure chance as they have never met me!

What's even funnier is that the mug says shhhh as i have, much to my shame, been told to be quiet or would to have leave the library!!!

 

I often get called geek which used to bother me but i have now accepted this is who i am: Geek!

(as is Pharell so I'm in good company!)

Part of the reason i have been called this is due to my love of books.

This is no secret but very few people know how large my collection is.

Today i am going to give you a peek into my crazy book world.

 

Just a peek mind!

 

this little pile is my

"important" books ...

 

...little fun sewing books...

 

...sewing tutorial books...

Tucked in this pile is a charity shop gem...

 

REAL SIMPLE SOLUTIONS

if you get the chance to see a copy of this book it's worth it. 

It has saved me in many "oh no" scenarios as it shows you what to use in place of everyday objects.

A quick peek...

 

...some ultra cool books...

Plus exciting news *** Print&Pattern Children is coming out this year!!

 

I LOVE it when you take off a dust jacket and see a great cover underneath.

Like this fab one hiding under the dust jacket of Etc...

 

...Lynne Perella books...

 Love her style and would love to be this free in my craft.

 

...scrapbooking books.

LOVE the Autumn Leaves Designing with range.

Can you tell??

 

Remember the dolls house

(www.dabandadash.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/an-idea-formed.html)

It's being used to store

...my Mollie Makes collection...

...the roof has my mini collection of childrens books.

A great distraction for Alfie!

 

This fun little book has lots of easy, fun, printing activities.

Reminds me a bit of my Nursery Nurse days -  activity planning...

 

This is a great educational book on how we get cotton...

 

This is just part of my collection of crafting books.

I haven't even touched on my collection of rare local history books or my general bookcase.

My children have their own bookcases in their rooms and a general one on the landing. In fact every room in our house has books in it and i love seeing my boys sitting looking at them.

Especially when Alfie asks me to read his favourite one or Charlie tells me he has a new title that he wants to own.

 

 You can never have too many books.

Also my love of books is the reason I only recycle damaged books.

Try Something New ...

... well i did and it actually turned out pretty ace!!

Okay, i may be getting a bit big for my boots here but it turned out so well i actually did a little jump for joy even gave an ekk of excitment!!

A project had been brewing in my mind for awhile.
A new binding style had been calling my name.
Along came the perfect book that would suit the new binding style and idea perfectly.

 

The Result:

no stitching on the spine ...

... lots of pretty pages ...

... tabs and stitching ...

... an assortment of plain and patterned pages ...

... hidden pockets ...

 

It is certainly a chunky journal and the first of many to come.

 

Have you tried anything new lately??

 

 

This goes out to my friend Jayne ...

It's no secret i LOVE charity shopping and Jumble sales...anywhere i can grab a bargain.
Jayne also enjoys these activities.
She messaged me about an out of town jumble sale.
We got there to be greeted with a long queue!! The doors opened and we were greeted with a hall FULL of tables, all FULL of stuff.

It would be rude not to share some of the treasures that came home with me ...

 

i usually steer away from satin but look at the design!!!

It is a very random piece of scrap fabric but i have plans for it.

This gorgeous tin...

Look inside...

...thinking a great photo prop.

 

Now...

*

 the next little lot will suprise you all

*

- spoken in a VERY sarcastic tone!!

*

*

*

*

*

i did something amazing to obtain this box.

Plucking up the courage to apporach the stall holder and asking what happened to the books at the end.

After discovering a man brought them i asked the price.

Get me!!!

And i grabbed a bargain!!

(I then had to ask Jayne if she had any money she could lend me! Bet she glad she asked me to go with her!)

 

Look at some of the gems hidden in there...

 

There were a few covered in brown paper and the books underneath were in an amazingly, fantastic, condition.

One had an inscription dated 1924 but looked like it been taken straight from shelves in Waterstones!!

 

The box even gave me a peek into an older time.

One had white cover but it turned out to be the dust jacket turned inside out!

The "risque" book was...

-the fifty shades of the 1920s-

 

Thank you Jayne, same time, same place next year!!

I will take more money i promise!!

 

Load of old (but fantastic and had to buy) Tat!!

Last time i saw a jumble sale advertised excitment hit me.
Told Charlie of my jumble sale memories, started to smile at thought of grabbing a bargain and getting into a jostle war on the stalls ...
We gathered our change and got there early. "The queues will be long" i told him.

It was NOTHING like that!

We struggled to spend 50p, came home very disheartened and my son thinking Mum really is mad. I had been rabbiting on about how great jumble sales are and he expected so much more.

*****

 

Last week saw another another Jumble Sale was due (at same venue) and presauded Charlie to give it another go.

It was BRILLIANT !

Just like the ones i remembered. Even got into the jumble sale jostle.
-Those clothes kept getting piled onto ones i was sorting through -- they kept getting sent back -- i passed across the biggest pile i could -- she gave in with a tut! -
That is the Jumble Sale Jostle.
Those jumble regulars who used to scare me away from the clothes when i was younger would have been proud.

  The bargains:

This little lot is a mix of old and modern toys.

Bob Builder playdough cutters (great for sandpit too!)

The cutest tin (even has moving wheels!)

Old jigsaws (Muppet Show one shouted at me!)



 

This lovely trolley deserved a photo of it's own!

The wheels need tightening but it's a sturdy piece.

It definately my star buy.

 

Lovely pile of fabrics:

One random piece of lovely checked fabric.

Vintage cushion cover.

Princess curtains.

lots of dresses = lots of fabric

 

A few old books.

You can never have enough books.

(In my head all the hoarder comments from friends - who know i have FAR too many - will argue this point!)

You can't beat the old pictures, fabric spines, simple text.

 

This gem of a book:

fairie - ality

have wanted this for years, since it first came out.

It's full of pretty costumes all made from items of nature.

 

Lastly a pile for Alfie.

Look at that treat on the very top!

We have a small collection of Topsy & Tim.

Not the modern characters of today but the ones from 1970s.

My actual ones from when I was a child. 

 

Today was a good day.

Not only did we come away with lots of bargains,

 lots of lovely items

... BUT let's not forget ...

today I won the jumble sale jostle!!!