Monday 7 May 2012

Magpie Monday - Wooden it be lovely

Hurrah, the Old Man agreed we could go to the car boot sale yesterday - the first one I've been to in, well it feels like forever.  The trade off was we had to go and watch him play squash first.

Yawn.  I sat patiently and watched 2 sweaty grown men chase a tiny rubber ball about a glass cell for an eternity, drumming my fingers and cursing all the unknown treasure that was being snatched up early.  I moaned in the car on the way there that there would be nothing left and all the good stuff will have been nabbed.  Annoyingly, he is one of these 'c'est la vie' types - chill out, we'll get there when we get there...yadda...yadda...

To instantly rub salt into my wounds, the very first stall I went to had the most beautiful Victorian chair.  I mean, this was exquisite.  Stunning. Perfect.  'How much for the chair?' I enquired. 'Sorry love, it's sold'.  My heart broke a tiny bit.  I glared and silently spat 'SEE??!' at the Old Man.  Oh well, I won't ask how much it went for I said (why make myself even more miserable).  Can you believe it, the stall holder shouted after me 'I let it go for a fiver'.

WHAT???  WHAT???  FIVE POUNDS?  She had to be kidding.  'I'd have paid £20 I told her, maybe more'. Ha, two can play at the missed opportunities game.  On my second - or was it third - skulk past, the chair was still sitting there, uncollected and unloved. Taunting me.

Still, I picked myself up and got looking.  All my items this week were wooden, or wood related, and even though the chair would have been the piece de resistance, I'm quite pleased with my haul.

I'd been on the lookout for a set of wooden step ladders for ages.  I want to paint some up and stand them in the garden with plants on, but they go for a fortune on eBay.  I spotted a set lying down and as penance, sent Him Indoors to find out the price.  He redeemed himself slightly by returning to tell me the chap wanted £10, but he'd bought them for me for a fiver.


They are truly lovely, but huge!  The lying-down-ness of them disguised their massive height, but still.  I'm now wondering if I can make room for them in the house.  Perhaps as a quirky shelving unit or a towel holder in the bathroom...



A lady with some beautiful items on her stall had a whole load of National Trust paint.  For exterior wood it will be just the ticket for my current projects.  She wanted £10 for the whole lot - about 9 tins.  It was all the same colour, a pale cornflower blue.  But the voice of doom next to me said no way - what if it's all off?  Argh, is he determined to ruin my day?  Anyway, I bought one tin for £2, and of course got it home to find it was perfect.  I knew it would be, I shouldn't have listened.


I spotted this whimsical little kitchen stamper on a stall for 20p.  Perfect for marking cookies.


I pacified Ruby who was whining for an ice cream with this chunky wooden tractor.  She seemed delighted that the steering wheel 'worked' the front wheels.


Finally, I think my favourite thing was this little ruler.  I paid 50p for it and just love it.


What era do you think it's from?  The 50s?  I'm not sure, but I will display it and smile at it.


What did you manage to get second-hand?  Do you have a voice of doom who comes with you?  Or do you leave him at home?!

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27 comments:

  1. My 'voice of doom' won't even let me go to car boot sales on the grounds that "we don't need any more junk".

    That ruler is fab though

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    1. I really need to learn to drive so I can just go on my on!

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  2. Oh I do like the sound of your car boot! I adore the ruler and the little stamper is a thing of loveliness. My OH is away, so no problems on that front, but I always have the three kids with me and we tend to race round car boots (they race I follow) The result is I never really get a proper look at anything!

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    1. Car booting with kids is a nightmare! I always give strict instructions to OH that he is responsible when I'm on car boot territory!

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  3. Great finds and such a shame about the chair :(
    My old man hates going to car boots so i very rarely get to go! miserable old git he is lol

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  4. Love the ruler so very much and also the little stamper thing. Laughing out loud about the ladder and how you torture your husband almost as much as I do mine.
    Have linked up - miss Magpie Monday when I don't get round to it.

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    1. The ladder is seriously giant!

      I do torture him don't I? He knows I love him really.

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  5. Ooh I love the ruler and the steps :)
    Maria x

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    1. The ruler is so cute, I've never seen one like it but I love it :0)

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  6. Honesty, sometimes I think we are Dopplewatchyas- I have the same big step ladder in my kitchen as shelves!
    Love your finds- the ruler is a beaut, I saw a lampshade out of rulers just like that recently.
    Sad to not be joining in today. I am too busy being hungry!

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    1. I've just read your post - bless you :0(

      Really want to use the ladder in some way, I'm just not sure I can trust Ruby not to clamber up it.. Hmmmm....

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  7. I love that ruler. I've never seen one similar, but if I did I'd snatch it up for my homeschool room.

    I've had no shortage of thrifting opportunities lately. Two of my three kids like thrift stores and yard sales as much as I do, and we ignore the pouts of the one who doesn't. My husband never goes with me. I think it would be his worst nightmare.

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    1. I think it's my OH's idea of hell too - doesn't stop me dragging him along though! x

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  8. Hehehe, a great tale of your day out. I WANT that bird cookie stamp! The bank holiday has thrown me off course, completely forgot about Magpie Monday this week, but I'll see what I can rustle up later. x

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    1. I tried stamping some gingerbread cookies this afternoon with it - once baked the impression had gone though. Not sure how to get it to work - maybe a different type of cookie?

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    2. maybe a shortbread, or a biscuit without and raising agents in it, as they always seem to lose impressions.

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  9. I remember having rulers like that. 1950s I think. Love the cookie stamp.

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    1. Oooh I would have enjoyed maths a whole heap more with rulers like that!

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  10. Glad you finally got to the boot sale. Will have to have words with Mr Voice of Doom if I ever meet him again and he seemed like such a nice chap !

    Love your ladders. I have a set in the kitchen (meant for reaching ontop of the cupboards but in reality just propped against the wall looking pretty) xxx

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    Replies
    1. Ahh he's a good boy really.

      Looking forward to painting and prettifying the ladders :0)

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  11. My first of many Magpie Mondays! Just squeezed in at 23:27 ;) Love your ladder, what a cool idea. Might just borrow it! Thanks for the inspiration :)

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  12. Haha! I love the 'voice of doom' i have one of those too! mwahah! Great finds, love the steps! x

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  13. I almost bought a set of steps, gorgeous slightly smaller and painted sage green but they wanted £35 for them and wouldn't budge! Love the kitchen stamp too good week for you!

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  14. I completely empathize with the beginning of this post! Sometimes my husband asks to go with me when I go to sales, and he insists on driving and taking roundabout ways to get places, all while I'm envisioning all the grand things that are being snatched up while we cruise around, ha!

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  15. Wow the ladder and paint are great finds, i love car boots but never have a look in if i go with tot in tow he gravitates towards plastic rubbish!! Love the linky i shall be joining in very soon i love a bargain on a child free shopping spree or an ebay fix.
    Cat x

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  16. You do spot some amazing things. I will join in one day, promise!

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