Sunday 16 September 2012

Mind games at the car boot...


I regaled  wendz at 15 Coast Road (could someone please tell me how you do that link thing with the right name on it?) regarding CB protocol and etiquette.  The sun was shining so the CB was maaahooosive - nevertheless I have to put my purchasing blinkers on so ignored the huge collection of West German ceramics, the three different garden sun loungers (circa 1970),  the vast array of china tea sets.

I whizzed  round but stalled when I saw these two embroideries...poised in front of them was another CB'er - looked a novice to me but I could not be certain. 'How much?' she asked.  'The two for £3'.  My throat tightened a little bit..CB'er pondered and hummed.  I went a little blue around the edges and gripped my purse a little tighter.  CB'er was not actually holding the embroideries and no part of her body was touching the items.  How do we read this situation bloggers?  She has only asked the price...no body part touching the item?  What would you do?

Did I :
A) Shrug and move on
B) Smile sweetly and wait
C) Barge in and purchase..........................


Shame on you for thinking C) - it was B)!!!!!! CB'er moved away but glanced over her shoulder....I moved in.  Possibly not quite as dramatic as I have painted...I then had a lovely long chat with the stallholders (please do leave a message if you find your way through the ether to here).

For one pound only I was able to purchase this delicious, marvellouso panel of fabric.  I think that this dates from the 1920s/1930s - what do you think? It has the feel/look and the fabric just feels that old.  Reminds me of  Chinoiserie designs of that time - I love the colours and the Turk's Cap lillies and beautiful roses.  


Oh bought a couple of lovely tapestries but did not buy all of them...

Rounded off with two huge lavender plants for four pounds each - perfecto.



Bathe in reflected glory.....

However....there were two marvellouso things that I did not buy and they are eating away....

One was one of those BEAUTIFUL 'proper' travelling suitcases - with original wooden hangers and fabric lined drawers (those ones that you stand up to put your clothes in)...I did not ask the price for fear of it being cheap.......it was so lovely.

The other was two BEAUTIFUL veranda chairs - I say veranda rather than garden because I think that they too also dated from the 1920s/1930s when verandas were de rigueur  - these were a little like steamer chairs but more delicate and painted a wonderful battered blue, the fabric was faded and torn but goodness me they were perfecto. I can see them on the front cover of CL (the magazine of which I no longer speak but will mention for effect!).  I did not ask the price for fear of them being cheap....they were so lovely.

So in fact in my short shopping trip I actually SAVED money!  Ho ho

Tra la la fiddle dee dee off I go to make some tea......

33 comments:

  1. If I'd seen someone buy those embroideries from under my nose I think I'd have vomited on the spot. They are FABULOSO!! Well done you for standing so demurely and not snatching them rudely from the madly uncertain car booter.£3!! For two!! Oh my.

    I think you might be right about the period that fabric panel comes from - it has an art nouveau look to it - just gorgeous. One to treasure, I think.

    Oh and as for linking, when you're doing your post you highlight the word/s you want to link then go and click on that little icon on top of the writing 'box' that says Link.

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    1. And then you paste in the URL of the site/page you're linking to and then click OK. C'est tout.

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    2. Thank you so much wendz - just posted something and forgot to do it but will next time around! The embroideries are nice I think - kept going back to the stall holder to let her know what she could use her fabric bits and bobs for. She then said that she wished that she hadn't sold them...oh dear!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  2. Oh Jenny that material is fabulous as are the pictures, you do find such treasure!! and so cheap too lucky you...
    One can never have too much lavender... I'm not good a keeping the french alive in my garden though sadly, just love the ears. Have a relaxing Sunday.

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    1. many thanks dearie and thank you for your email. Should take cutting from the lavender really but mine always tend to rot!
      Hope that your weekend was super

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  3. Read the whole post Jenny, quietly chuckling along to myself ( it's ok to do that here, my family already think I'm a little mad! No one bats an eye now!). You struck gold there! Ada :)

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    1. We could go Batty Backpacking round the world's Car boots!!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  4. I'm sitting here enjoying the boot through your adventures today. After struggling through a week feeling as rough as mustard I've given in to the delights of the sofa today.

    Like you I've loitered thinking move on so I can grab the said item. Also not asked the price of things because they'd probably be far too much and then I'd sulk at my inability to knock loads of money off. Trunk sounds fabulous though. I always think will I kick myself forever if I don't get it and then if I know i will I have to head back.

    X

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    1. Sorry to hear that things have been a bit rough - good times just around the corner! We are too polite perhaps - Dom sometimes says that we should be more like some others but not in our nature sadly. I cannot bring myself to ask for money off and like you it will gnaw away. That trunk was delicious - did not dare go back today for fear of it still being there....
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  5. I am always too polite to dive in and snatch things up, but have had it done to me plenty of times! You found some real treasures, what a haul! That 20's fabric panel is to die for x

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    1. We can hold our heads high in the CB mind games I think. Sometimes I have found people hovering round me as I try and make up my mind - that then provokes a purchase whether I wanted it or not!! Oh dear!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  6. I am heading off to an afternoon car boot very soon and with your lovely finds I am hoping it is a good luck omen for all car booters and I iwll find something fantastic!

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  7. Hello Jenny:
    We fear that we are Car Boot virgins and would be hopeless at either spotting the wonderful treasures lurking beneath the dross or be capable of snapping up the goodies before being beaten to them by the more experienced Car Booter. We get so utterly bemused by everything that is on show that it seems to render us completely impotent.

    But, well done to you for coming home with such treasures and at such inexpensive prices. The embroideries and the painted fabric look so pretty. We love the washed out colours and the flowers are painted so delicately and in such detail. Lovely!

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    1. Lovely to hear from you again - the colours are almost Venetian perhaps (reading too much into it....). There is indeed much of no interest whatsoever and I do not like to get there early so I wonder what I have missed out on. It is all a bit of a game really.
      I hope that it is lovely wherever you are today
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  8. I fear I need to visit your car boot, ours are full of plastic toys, baby clothes and burger vans and occasionally a little gem!
    Actually maybe not as I like you would fear the fact I could afford it all and would be bankrupt with minuets!

    The CB etiquette happened to me, I was looking at a sindy wardrobe, asked the price picked it up and looked inside to see two pairs of sindy shoes, the woman next to me gave the stall holder the money and he then removed from my grasp to tell me someone else had made the purchase! I made a dignified exit but told them both thats not really the way.

    Happy booting!

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    1. Plenty of that too do not fear - goodness me the amount of toys and baby clothes..enough to clothe the world I should think! Your example of etiquette is shocking but sadly not an isolated experience I think - though is not usually backed up by the stall holder!
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  9. What lovely finds ... our car boots here are usually stocked with tat ... maybe the occasional special find ... I would love to visit an exceedingly good one to find some treasure ... have a happy Sunday ... Bee x

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    1. Plenty of tat our way too - it is the finding of that one thing that makes it worthwhile don't you think?
      Monday tomorrow....
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  10. What brilliant CB finds.
    irene
    xxxx

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  11. I watch and wait, but to my cost sometimes!
    Julie xxxxxxxx

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    1. He who hesitates....
      Happy hunting
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  12. You lucky thing, I am most jealous! All I got from the car boot this morning was runner beans, a vintage jigsaw, some Blackberry Farm books, but I did find a large fruit bowl to match some dishes that I already had, so not too bad really.

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    1. Now I too frequently purchase fresh fruit and veg at car boots - rhubarb mainly!!! I look forward to seeing your jigsaws (not meant in an unseemly way!!)
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  13. I don't trust myself to go early to CBs just because I know I would spend too much. Instead I go late and rely on there being fewer temptations. Amongst the baby clothes, plastic toys and mountains of tat tis morning I picked up a really beautiful blue and white china jug. Ok its spout is badly mended but it cried out to me to rescue it and give it a new home. It will now be given pride of place on top of my dresser that has all my other blue and white china.

    What I did see and was very sorely tempted by but resisted was a toddler's rocking toy. The one where there is a horse like a merry-go-round horse and a seat behind it. I've probably described it badly but I am sure you will know the sort I mean. It was £35 so stayed where it was. Philippa xx

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    1. I too am a later arrivee at the CB - around 10 is about fine for myself. The jug sounds lovely Philippa - everything in our home has a chip/damage in some way I think
      £35 is pushing it....but if it is really, really, really lovely and special...
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  14. The embroideries are beautiful! What a lucky find - they were clearly meant for you after all.
    Anna. x

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    1. Many thanks Anna - they are beautifully made and quite delicious
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  15. I am determind to make it out of my area to another boot sale...ours are TOO expensive, too many traders argy barging their way through and too full of expensive tat!
    Perfect purchases
    Nicky
    x

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  16. Whoa, LOVE the embroideries and how very polite you were not to storm in! I agree that lovely fabric panel is prob around 1920s. Hmm, the other "got aways" sound marvellous too, you must have a good car booty near you.
    Hen xxx

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  17. You are funny!! I got myself a few bargaind at the car boot too this weekend tho a lovely old peter rabit biscuit tin for 10p!! A beautiful olive green velvet cusion for 50p and for my grandma (who had only asked the day before) a barbie doll so she can make another toilet roll holder (lol) for 20p. A dart board and case with chalk boards attached for £1 and a spool of vintage blue lace trim for £1, and a mink fur collar for £1. Every item on my shopping list I got, I cant say the mink was on it but I havnt got one so it had to be done.
    I went with a budget of £13 and came back with £9.20 and an arm full of delights!!
    A super duper day and it is still making me smile on tuesday.

    xx

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