Monday 20 June 2011

car boots, junk warehouses, and garage sales

doily and vintage buttons

The last few weeks I have cut down on my blogging, days have been busy with school activities, half term holiday outings and general running around like headless chickens. Today I will share with you some of the little treasures I have found in the last few weeks. Some may call this modest hoard junk but it is all bits and pieces of things that I will use to craft dolls, monsters, jewellery and whatever else takes my fancy.

key and cog collection, almost too pretty to craft with

This weekend started with going to Cromford to the little festival that took place on Saturday. After the mystifying and quite frankly terrifying sight of a prancing unicorn-man I spied a sign that read 'Garage Sale' and a little arrow. I blinked twice and we turned around and went to find two little garage sales down the road from each other. I bought some doilies, a vintage chain, an airplane pin (for H) and two bags of toy filler all for the princely sum of £1. I may possibly have been quite giddy at this point as you just don't see garage sales here... ever. From Cromford Mill the previous week I managed to find a lovely letterpress tray that will be going up on the wall in Harrison's room to display lego figures (it was half filled with them about ten minutes after we got it home.

vintage baking tin, watch parts, keys and other treasure from Wirksworth

Last weekend we went to Wirksworth, it was late in the afternoon and we missed out on the farmer's market but still had fun roaming around the antique, chocolate and charity shops. I bought a vintage sea shell cake tin, from the vintage rooms. A little rusty, dusty and there was a bit of burned black cake left in it too, but it sits on my desk full of the bits and pieces that inspire me and I will be working with to create new dolls and monsters. After that Harrison and I explored an antiques shop that looked more of a hoarder's home then a shop, boxes piled high bursting at the seams and a little old chap running the place that I swear walked straight out of and 80s fantasy movie. I found buttons and vintage watch parts that made my little heart sing as they were exactly what I needed to finish the Steampunk Red Riding hood doll.
treasures from Banana junk Warehouse in York

While Harrison was on his half term break we went up to York for the day, we had a ball roaming the walls and streets and I was allowed an hour to rifle through the junk in Banana Warehouse. I found a little wooden box, more vintage buttons, vintage measuring tape, a large spool of orange thread and a mother of pearl belt buckle (which was similar to one in Duttons button shop that cost more than I paid for everything I found.

Lego treasure beyond compare

On rare Sunday morning when the day is clear and Matt isn't rushing off to a wedding or a wedding fair we sometimes go rummage around Tansley Car Boot sale. It's bleak up on the fields where the car boot and market are held but the view is outstanding. On the last trip up we found a stash of lego, vintage ladybird books and a crystal growing kit. Treasure for everyone.
Pork pie tins from Cromford Days

doilies, buttons and vintage chain from a garage sale!!!!


letterpress printer's tray from Cromford Mill

I'm linking to Apron Thrift Girl for her fab Thrift Share Mondays and Her Library Adventures' Flea Market Finds

Now back to the reality of sorting out all of my craft supplies. I'm decluttering and getting rid of various bits of fabric and beads that I won't use, so that I have room for more of the things that I do use. So that totally means I can thrift more right? I'm also hoping that by tidying and sorting things out it will inspire me to get one with crafting, writing and listing said crafts in my poor little etsy shop. I'm hoping I will have a few sales and be able to order some new moo cards and pluck up the courage to exhibit my crafts at a real craft fair. *wibble*

12 comments:

x vInTaGe VioLeT x said...

wow what an amazing selection of treasure - just the sort of treasures i would've chosen!

Anonymous said...

Such a great finds, you lucky or I am blind, I go to many thrifty places and don't get as many finds as you ;)

Well if speaking about your dolls, they are so worth showing everywhere. Your imagination and your of making things differently is a really big talent and admire it.

Good luck with your tidying ;)

x

The Coffee Lady said...

Mr Coffee would very much envy you that letterpress tray. We have endless piles of type in jumbled boxes.

Ampersand Commodities said...

i think you must have some sort of secret lucky thrifting charm. you crafts would go down so well at a craft fair,you should definatly do one x

things we make said...

Some lovely bits and bobs there. I love those tins and they will make fab pin-cusions, but perhaps make pie in them, just once?

Jenny said...

I love the pirk pie tins. Are you going to use them for their original purpose?

Anonymous said...

I like the fabric shop in Cromford Mill but I've never seen anywhere that sells Vintage stuff- is it new? I will have to go back one weekend (after payday)!

jillytacy said...

Great finds! I can't believe you don't usually find garage sales. I love them!

Anonymous said...

You did find some really cool stuff. I especially love the key and cog collection.

leah - moxiethrift on etsy said...

Love your photos and your collections! the cogs photo is my fav. we have tons of garage sales...but no boot sales here! =(

Frizforthewin said...

cracking finds :-)

monogirl said...

Oooh yes, steam punk bits. I've definitely got that on the brain lately and will have to remember to keep my eye out for supplies.