Thursday 29 May 2014

Floral finds, flowery foray .......and the Gas Man cometh...........and sorry

Sorry that I mixed  my 'publish' with 'save' button again!  My dad always said that I was 'bumble footed' - clearly I am 'bumble handed' too.  Sorry also for delay in replying to kind comments - I read them all and chuckle over your responses.  I always seem to be a 'post' behind but I am catching up.


Anyway hello again

Glad that I had added a modicum of mirth  in the last post!

As it is ' was Chelsea' Week last week I thought that I would show you some floral finds which  I have bought within the last two weeks or so. It is funny how things turn up in batches: some weeks it might be suitcases another it will be tablecloths - last week an elderly gentleman was selling his lifetime collection of Meccano!

Anyway I was taking stuff to the charity shop (bags ironically... rather than ironic bags) and spied this lovely floral knitting/craft bag for £2.50.  I was not going to buy it as I have a few others (ahem!) but it is a most splendid floral knitting/craft bag so.......  The colours and combinations of different fabrics are just my cup of tea.  Both sides have a wonderful mix of florals...thus....


I would love to see yards of this fabric




 At the car book someone was selling their collection of King Penguin books though I only bought this one, for a £1.  By pure chance the colours 'go' nicely with the bag.



Short intermission...



 On to a different 'type' of floral with this old embroidered tablecloth. This is possibly the most impeccably embroidered tablecloth in "The Custards' Collection".


 The shading on the threads is just lovely and this was the tablecloth of choice for May Day.




 NO JAM on May Day!


 As always I take my hat off to  embroiderers - what a wonderful thing to make.




 On to some floral fabric (curtains in reality).  Dom and I had to transport some 'stuff' to the local tip  and these curtains were being thrown out...oh dear I sound a proper scavenger.....


Of course I washed them!   Cheeky (again).

If you can please try and match your fabrics with your garden.  Here the actinidia kolomikta goes quite nicely with the washing.


 Also happened to match the tulips

 

Handily an old hanger also matched the fabric!  


Is there no end to the matchiness!



 A 'china floral' now.   Someone had donated their 'cafe au lait' bowl collection to another charity shop, each bowl was a pound each, I was restrained and chose just four.


More of this Victorian marble top another time - bought from a local architectural salvage yard it was the 'replacement' for the Guinea Pig Hutch and it will be my 'new' potting table eventually.  It may be a year or so before we get round to completing it but I will let you know.



As with fabric, china and books I have a far reaching tastes in gardens and flowers: from municipal planting to trimmed parterres, from wild flowers to rare cultivated forms.  All are welcome, so long as they look 'nice'. I particularly like gardens which hold the unexpected and if I had acreage I would have the Galloping Horse in my garden


Can anyone help identify this bowl below?  I have always used it as a bird bath and bought it from a jumble years ago when we lived in London.  It might be a B&Q special or something older perhaps?  Any ideas I would be grateful as there are no marks on the underside.  Anyway the blackbirds take their morning dip in here most days and they do not seem to mind the bowl origins.


 Dom informed me that this all looked like a funeral parlour.



Some real flowers in the making here - my seeds are on the right and Dom's on the left.....mmmm.  However Dom's plastic bag barrier failed to protect the decoration on my old fold up tray.  The watering of the seedlings meant that it became rusty within a few days (good job that I have more than one).


I used to grow plants from seed all the time (less so nowadays) and would spend ages reading through the Chiltern (image-free) seed catagloue.  I think that Chiltern's now have photographs of some of the plants but in the past I would buy on the basis of the great descriptions - living life on the edge - I never had the need to 'see before I buy'.

Some real flowers now


What a frothy wonderment flower cow parsley is.


 A bird interlude:
Sitting in the garden a family of blue tits whizzed past my ear - the thrumming of their wings was a lovely sound


Baby birds often look a little grumpy


The last of the narcissus  - these are tiny but I cannot remember the name.




 After carefully nurturing sunflower seeds I finally planted them out the other day - overnight they vanished thanks to the slugs.  GGrrr.  My campanula punctacta which I have had for years has now disappeared.  I think I must be cultivating super slugs.


 I noticed that  Anchusa has featured a bit at Chelsea this year and I am not surprised as the blue is eye popping I think.  Mine is planted against a piece of sea washed wood that poor Dom and I dragged up from the beach a few years ago (waterlogged wood is very, very heavy).



Having plenty of pots means that my 'display' gets changed around very frequently - so now we have irises instead of daffodils.




A neighbour benefits from our clematis and we benefit from his wisteria


 Our garden is teeny tiny but full of plants - there is always room for just one more plant (a bit like the house in that respect).
Here is a view from the garden back door.


Gardening has been a  flowery thread through my life - our mum lived for her garden and  many of us develop that love of our gardens at a very young age.  As a child it was my 'job' to write down, as quickly as possible, the Latin names of plants as they appeared on Gardener's World so that my mum could try and track them down (pre-internet of course).  This is the best way to learn your Latinate roots (pun intended).  I also  know that there are a few of us out there who are fans of the very clever binomial system (I would insert one of those winking things here if I could).


As we recently had some  sun I gave my old bench its annual paint.  This bench we also bought about 25 years ago - it was, as they say, as cheap as chips especially for an original Victorian/Edwardian one.  The planks of wood that you see here were washed up on the beach a while back and Dom cut them to make this larger seat when the others fell apart.




 





The bench pre-paint




Not quite Chelsea standards Dahlink!  These are photographs from two/three years ago which I never posted at the time, this must have been very early Spring I think.

In our tiny garden we have a  tiny shed in which I keep my 
gardening accoutrements !  All broken china is kept in there (for bottom of pots), an array of old lamps, galvanised buckets and a 'range' of old tureens for plants.


  I bought this trug thingy 20 plus years ago from Greenwich Market - I can pretend that I am Lady Bountiful tra la la'ing around non-existing acreage!

 Filled this old cup with water for tiny birds


This is an old lead bird bath - it is as heavy as.....
This was one of the first things that I bought from Mr Langford - it was about £10 which I thought was very expensive at the time but Mr Langford assured me that it was a good buy.


Dom requested that I photograph this pot as he was pleased with his mending (it gets like that after a few years!).  This is the third time that he has mended this pot (bought about 15 years ago I think) - this time he added an wire around it for extra stability  and thought that the pebble from the beach was a nice touch to prevent any finger snagging on the wire!


 For 50p I bought some nice old garden tools at the car boot last year - I will do a separate posting on car boot purchases eventually.


Being a small garden we make the most of the sky!  These self seeded echiums  suffered from the cold and wet last winter so they are not at their flowering best but the bees still love them.





Nearly done now.

At the car boot was yet another knitting/craft bag though this one was £1.50. 

I had clearly been ripped off with the other bag - ho ho.


Oh and there were some other books....oh dear

...and a bit of old Sanderson fabric for 50p 

 




Ending with these two card boxes - bought at two different car boot stalls last week.  








PS: I think that Chelsea Flower Show went off the boil a few years back but has improved - so long as they keep the focus on the plants and the camera doesn't keep swishing around all the time.  Some years I have felt as though I am  a boat bobbing in the ocean with all that camera swaying.    Only been to Chelsea Flower show once -  with my mum and on the final day - you can imagine the amount of stuff we came back with.....

PPS: A reminder that it is elderflower season in this neck of the world


 Same old stuff - just like last year - however I have since found a few more of those old Corona bottles (£1 each 'locally')


  I appreciate that this cordial may not look that appealing but it does taste nice.


For some reason these bottles remind me of my old nursing days......cannot fathom why.....


 I hope that I don't get into trouble with Corona for using these bottles for cordial.  I live close to the edge


PPPS: The Gas Man - For some time I have been saving up to have a new boiler fitted (not a euphemism).  The week of the boiler insertion (!)  finally arrived.  It would take a few days because we needed new pipes (not a euphemism) and part of the kitchen floor would have to be lifted.  It was all a bloomin' mess.  The two Gas Men worked very, very hard though were cursing the number of stairs they had to run up and down to bleed the radiators.  In between the bleedin' radiators I made tea, chatted and  learnt a great deal about these two young men.  One dutifully brought his wife and toddler round to say hello :'For crying out loud how much am I paying you an hour..... get on with your ruddy work?'  'Lovely to meet you' I said. Due to the bleedin' radiators ALL rooms had to be entered (oh the shame of it) but both Gas Men perhaps surprsingly admired the sewing room so we chatted about fabrics for a while (they truly were Men of Gas)!  At this point I feel honour bound to indicate that the words 'Gas', 'Man' and 'Men' are incidental to this story.  This anecdote is bound neither by gender or  by gas  but are presented in order to give context and texture to the scenario. At times the boiler became mere background noise to the wider debate which were about  to have.

 There was clearly a pecking order with the two Gas Men. I did indeed highlight this inequality: how one did the talking and the other the physical hard  graft.  The Gas Men laughed.  At one point I named them 'The Laughing Gas men'.  How we laughed ('How much am I paying you an hour?' )..... Over the fifth cup of tea that morning (!)  'The Talking Gas Man' enquired further about The Hobby Room (as he called it), what was it for and so on.  I informed him that it was carefully curated collection of fabricos and nice bits.  He looked a little perplexed at this point but proceeded to ask if I took commissions. I did boast of my purses made for  Cath Kidston (years on but..come on....IT IS ALL I HAVE PEOPLE) but what he really wanted to know was whether he could commission something that his wife wanted made out of their toddler's old baby clothes.  'Don't be daft' I exclaimed 'I can show your wife how to make that'.  'Don't YOU be daft' he rejoindered ' My wife can't sew'.  There was a bit of conversation about the merits of making things yourself but he was having none of it.  However the seeds were sewn and  the needle threaded for the next stage.

By day three of the boiler insertion ('How much!') the work was coming to a close and with one final push all would be done.  Here we were at the final cup of tea and final chat.

'Doing anything nice this weekend Laughing Gas Men?

'Nah - got no money'

'Hang on a minute : NO MONEY!'

'Nah - the minute I get it I spend it' (This was the 'Talking Gas Man' talking - I shouldn't need to highlight this as he is the 'Talking Gas Man'.  Did you read this post?)

What followed was an hour ('How much!') of discussion outlining where money was spent.  There was mutual jaw clanging.  The Talking Gas Man (TGM) spent a GREAT DEAL of money on his weekly shop AND ate out twice a week AND bought at least one takeaway a week. Not only that but he bought all his food from Marks & Spencer.  None of this would be worth commenting on but he said that he did not have any money.  The point being that he would have money if he did not spend so much.  He was equally amazed at my parsimony and how money should/could  be conserved wherever possible. He discussed his Rolex watch and BMW convertible and I discussed sandwich making and cycling along the seafront on a clapped out old bone shaker. I outlined how much money could be saved by being very careful when spending the pounds. We proceeded to calculate how much money he spent on: lunch per annum,  'ready meals', haircuts, manicures (his not mine), pedicures (his not mine), sun beds (his not mine)  and ................................................................... .....................................................................................................................................................

EYE BROW  WAXING 

(HIS.  NOT MINE!!!!!!!!). 

At this juncture I found myself looking at TGM with the scrutiny of a hawk  

Of course he is free to do all of the above - I am merely underling the point that 'TGM' said that he did not have any money.

I could not dispense my money-saving tips fast enough - the TGM laughed and laughed.  The TGM said that I ought to team up with Martin Lewis on telly..... and then a look of realisation spread over his visog.  

He had indeed spent more than he had

I too had a moment when it dawned on me that we did not have to be sooooo thrifty all of the time.

Naturally I relayed all of this to Dom : he then went out to the supermarket and conducted a spending spree that was on the scale normally reserved for Christmas!!!

Egos may have been involved at this point.



Perhaps TGM could use a new purse in order to save those pennies



PPPPS: When asked to make the purses for CK I was also asked if I would consider being a 'vintage supplier' for them - though nice to be asked I thought at the time it would be 'too much' so declined.  Prompted by this post I have found  out that the person who asked me is now the 'Senior Vintage Buyer' at Cath Kidston. Just think that my 'stuff' could have been displayed in those shops and I could 'tra la la' ad infinitum.

I am reviewing these longer posts and think that, in order to cut down on the wanderings I will stick to one item in future.  Any thoughts re: posting enhancements?



Wherever you are in the world I wish you happy tra la la'ing.

I am very grateful that I get to tra la la when perhaps some cannot


PPPPPS: Overheard:
Customer: 'What are these called?'
Assistant: 'Oh those are Aguilera'
They were Aquilegia.............
I did not know if it would be worse to pipe up or not so I just moved on..........

62 comments:

  1. Dear Mrs Thrifty Custard, don't change a thing, your posts reflect what a wonderous place your mind must be and we your readers are privileged to be allowed to peek in and share the delights and laughter!
    I love your magpie ways and although I have been doing this for a short while I too can look back at some of the vintage delights that I have snaffled up and still delight me today...( lots of delight it seems)
    Tell me are you as loquacious in real life or should we meet would you be shy and retiring, a mere slip of a girl who wants nothing more than to left alone staring into a romantic distant vintage world. Me I would be the matronly woman who wants to know too much! :-) You should bottle your writings and publish your memoirs it would be a hoot! Have a great day, until we meet again in this world of blog.

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    1. Dear Susan
      Thank you most kindly for your supportive words - I confess that my mind is a little bit of a jumble and it does flit around a little bit and frequently races ahead!

      I have devoted part of my latest post to loquaciousness -mmmm, I wonder if that will answer your question!

      Keep in touch
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  2. Where to start! Beautiful pictures.I love floral fabric (just making a bit of patchwork- so a very inspiring little bag) The gas man conversation is hilarious. I think you are very polite and considerate to put up with their yapping. Years ago when we were doing up our kitchen, we needed a plasterer,hubby was at home and I left for work thinking lovely thoughts about- one job being done by someone else (at last.) However I returned home to find the kitchen looking exactly the same. Hubby had sent the plasterer packing as he rabbited on about politics, and didn't do a stroke of work- can you blame hubby!
    As you say about being frugal, sometimes it is difficult to spend any money, but I suppose I prefer to be that way round. Every now and then however I get the urge to spend- hopefully finding pretty vintage bargains!

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    1. Ah Felicity - I too have chatted to people who have come to the house to do work for far too long. I remember an electrician a few years ago who (after a very, very conversation) - charged by 30% less for the work. I think that there may have been guilt involved!
      Frugality is an asset - spending a bit now and again emphasises the value of it all
      Have a lovely weekend
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  3. Your floral extravaganza equals Chelsea! Feel in love with the May Day cloth and those vintage bowls you were restrained to only buy 4!
    At least you know you have helpoed t contribute to your Gas man's M&S meals this week!
    Sarah x

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    1. I am thinking that you are enjoying some lovely days by the sea at the moment Sarah!
      Thank you for calling in
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  4. Oh my goodness... what a post!!
    Fabulous bag, that incredible embroidery , I love that curtain fabric! The actinidia kolomikta is stunning, new to me i'd rather like to try a cutting from that (do you think it would work Jenny?)) . Great garden shots and you're so right grumpy fledglings... Don't get me started on slugs, I've lost six echinacea plants and two dahlias and that is just at home. Yep I've strings of elderflowers drying up on strings... as for Gas men I laughed out loud... eye brow waxing! Have a relaxing w/e. Cx Ps that's a very beautiful bit of manicured nail modelling going on there too...

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    1. Hello again Cass - thank you as always for calling in. The actinidia is a bit woody at the moment but I will try and strike a cutting when there is some softer growth - it is a great 'backdrop' plant. I could cry with the slugs and snails this year - they really have not stopped.

      Bronte's hands not mine sadly.........

      I hope that your weekend is lovely
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  5. Please keep the ramblings - they make such a wonderful read.

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    1. Dear Arthur that is very kind of you to say - especially as one so gifted in the writing field as Arthur.
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  6. Hello Jenny, thank you for prompting my visit this evening. my Maypole tablecloth is also exquisitely made like yours and is truly treasured. It has been on the table often this May. Love the pictures of the baby great tit and have serious envy for your patchwork floral bag. Do you have vintage crochet treasures stashed away I wonder? I found the Cath Kidston tale very interesting and I enjoyed having a nose around your garden. We have a purpose built bird bath, but the blackbirds have taken to bathing in the hedgehog's plastic water tray. The hedgehog doesn't seem to mind. Enjoy your weekend and my opinion is don't change a thing blog wise xx

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    1. Dear BettyandAnnie
      That tablecloth pattern is a just lovely isn't it - all happy and joyful. Thank you for your crochet question - I do have umpteen crochet blankets which are used all year round and I also wear an old crochet shawl thing during the winter (I hate having a cold neck!).
      How lovely to have hedgehogs - we have a brick wall all around sadly
      Thank you for kind word re: blog
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  7. WOW fabulous embroidered tablecloth and vintage bags. Your garden is absolutely gorgeous! I loved spending some time with you today Jenny. Happy weekend!

    xo Danielle

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    1. Thank you kindly Danielle
      Hope that it is sunny for you this weekend
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  8. Yes, this was a long and wandering post. I enjoyed every word and every photograph, and urge you not to consider any sort of future editing to trim the length.

    Your vintage finds are so beautiful. I wonder how could someone give them up? Your garden photographs and comments really do show what can be created in any size of open space with access to sunlight. You've increased my yearning for a garden, a small garden, of my own.

    The gas men chronicles do tell an interesting tale of how family budgeting approaches vary. I write this as a thrifty sort of one person household. How I do also enjoy an occasional splurge!

    Your insights into the CK infrastructure are amusing and also give me a chance to mention that I do hope that some future day might give us opportunity to trade some stories. I will say no more right here in this comment box.

    Best wishes, xo

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    1. Dear Frances
      Thank you for calling - next time I will have the kettle on for tea.
      For several years Dom and I lived in a top floor flat but I still had a carefully curated window box! I used to look out on all the gardens and hanker for one.

      You are right it is good to splurge now and again though that splurge for me still tends to be something old!

      Have lovely weekend
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  9. Your posts are a great read. I enjoy reading every word. I always save your blog posts till last to read, they are far too enjoyable to read first! Wish I could write like you
    Julie xxxxxxxxxxx

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    1. Dear Julie
      The writing is simply the emptying out of my head! Nothing fancy sadly!
      Thank you as always for your kind words
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  10. I want to be your shadow....you are always in just the right spot, the bargains and treasures you find! Love your posts my dear :) x

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    1. Dear Ada Bea
      I must admit that I have been very, very lucky over the years - oh and of course I have thrown very little away which helps!!!! Or not...........

      Thank you for calling in
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  11. What a flowery frippery post that was (is that even a legitimate description?!). My father won a gold at Chelsea Flower Show - he is a tres amazing horticulturist and now trains and assess the Queen's gardeners at Buckingham palace!!! Am rather proud of that fact. Me I can't achieve gold in anything except maybe talking.... signs off x

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    1. Dear Ginny T GOLD MEDAL....GOLD MEDAL.....GOLD MEDAL. I am pouring envy through my computer screen here! That is such a wonderful achievement - ruddy marvellous and how he works with Buck House. Goodness - can you please show his garden?

      I have gold medal in hapless events.........

      Thank you for calling in
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  12. OOOH!! Jenny what a wonderful post full of all sorts of things that I LOVE!!! The flowery things are amazing,you lucky duck(As dear Ethel puts it!!) I really enjoyed my tour of your garden,apart from the potters garden at Chelsea, yours is the best!!I am chuckling at the gas men.Thankyou for popping over to my blog.As always you are my inspiration.Wishing you a sunny Sunday.Ttfn Pam.

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    1. Dear Pam
      I too thought that the potters garden was lovely - full of nice bits and bobs.
      I hope that it stays sunny all weekend
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  13. I always love coming over here for eye candy. I have just come in form gardening and it is 9:17 and I was dreaming up a gardening blog post myself. Mine is all pink and blue and purple with spikes and tall things popping up from a mass of other stuff! It really is just doing it's own thing. Jo xx

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    1. Thank you kindly Jo - I too love gardening until dusk as it reminds me of helping my mum when I was little. Gardens doing their own thing are the best I think - nothing too tamed!
      I hope that it stays sunny this weekend
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  14. I have never seen such an amazing embroidered tablecloth as your dancing lady one and I thought I had some fine ones! It is beautiful, I would be scared to use it! Lovely knitting/craft bags, such gorgeous fabrics. This post was a beautiful riot of colour and pattern.

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    1. Dear Kate -Em
      Thank you kindly - that tablecloth is very pretty I think and I am a bit careful when using it but used it should be.
      I hope that you have a lovely weekend
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  15. Just love your posts and this one in particular. A floral tribute!
    Jacqui xx

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    1. Dear Jacqui
      Thank you as always for your kind words
      I hope that you have a lovely weekend
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  16. Oh crumbs Jenny! What a cracking post! Beautiful flowers and the embroidery is stunning. What a very unusual tablecloth with the dancing ladies. I have never seen anything like that before. You seem to have the knack of being in the right place at the right time! Do you need a little shadow to follow you around? I promise not to take up too much room :)
    www.thequietstitcher.com

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    1. Dear Jacky
      I am currently advertising for a little shadow so if you submit your full sleuth CV I will give it my most careful consideration. Sorry that there is no payment for the work but there is the opportunity for junky treasure!!
      Thank you for calling in
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  17. Well Jenny your car boot buys are sensational, especially those craft bags and your little scrap of Sanderson fabric. You do have the best eye, I'm not surprised that CK wanted you aboard.

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    1. Those craft bags were extra lucky buys I think - all those years of traipsing round muddy fields pay off sometimes
      Thank you for calling in
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  18. Your posts are always a joy to read. Like a lovely stream of consciousness!

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    1. Dear Anna
      Thank you so much - I am chuffed by the analogy
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  19. please don't change a thing - it's all wonderful but as i've said before it's the ps' that i like the best xx

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    1. Dear Lynne
      Thank you kindly - I do think that they must seem like a terrible ramble! However I aim to please...
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  20. What a wonderful post - such a joy to read and look at all your wonderful photographs, flowers, finds and tales from the Gas Men.... :) x

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    1. Those bloomin' Gas Man - next week I have the Builder Men and then we really do chat!!!
      Thank you for calling in
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  21. Dont change a thing,love everything :))) xxxx

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  22. Think I started reading this in May it's now June... oh well, like Susan C I'm also wondering if your fantastically engrossing ramblings which I love are confined to your blog and if I had the luck to meet you on the street would you pin me to the wall and become my new best friend. Beautiful beautiful purse! xx

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    1. Dear thewoolydog
      So glad that you liked the purse....I hope that it looks good in real life.....worry, worry.
      I am prone to a bit of wall pinning....oh dear!

      Thank you for calling in
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  23. Such a pretty post! Your florals make me smile. Love them all: your colourful garden, your new vintage knitting bag, the colourful bowls, your embroidered table cloth...... It's all really pretty!

    Your new purse looks perfect! Do you sell on Etsy?

    Wishing you a Happy weekend!

    Madelief x

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    1. Dear Madelief
      Thank you kindly for your equally kind words
      I have just started to list a purse or two on Etsy . Thank you for asking as this is a big step for me and I am very worried about it already!

      Thank you for calling in and I hope that we both get to do lots of gardening this weekend
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  24. I love your blog.. it brightens my day, I wish I could find the bargains that you do, those knitting bags are FABULOUS...

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    1. Dear Knittynutter
      Lovely to hear from you
      For every nice thing that I find I must uncover hundreds of not so nice things! Swings and roundabouts I think.
      I hope that all is going well with yourself
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  25. There I was, all ready to write an approximately serious response to your comments about spending habits and along comes your footnote and now I am giggling helplessly. You realise I will never be able to look at Aquilegia in quite the same way again!

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    1. Ah yes - it was one of those priceless moments that I usually only hear about at the end of News Quiz! I thought it best not to say anything to save everyone's embarrassment.
      Thank you for calling in Annie
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  26. Oh Jenny, I have been away from blogland for some time, and I have missed you terribly! In fact I wrote a post today and actually titled it Tra La La in tribute to you. You really are the most marvelous entertainer, I love the story of the TGM and his spendthrift ways...and those curtains! Thank goodness you were there to rescue them, I dread to think what awful fate awaited them if you hadn't swooped in like a Fairy Godmother of vintage fabric. Much love to you lovely lady. Rachel xx

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    1. Dear Rachel
      Lovely to see you wedding photo and I hope that all is well
      I am still reeling from the TGM goings on!
      Bargains are a feel good think I think
      Have a lovely weekend
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  27. Oh Jenny, Jenny, Jenny. Those bags are flipping gorgeous. Especially the first one. All that work - must have taken an age. Re. blog posting enhancements...for heaven's sake Jenny, don't change. We love you just the way you are (that's some awful song I think?). xx

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    1. Dear Loo - sadly that song has wormed its way into my head and will not leave.....
      Thank you for your supportive words Loo - much appreciated
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  28. A lotta lotta love goes into your posts, dear Jenny!
    They are always a feast for the eyes.. and the tales, well wonderful !
    You've brightened my day too Jenny ! :)
    Wishing oh wishing i had a garden like yours...
    And the knitting bag is fab ! Hugs and twinkles ****
    Maria of course...

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    1. Dear Maria
      Thank you so much for your kind words - you are a very sweet person
      The garden is a bit of a mess today as we had to do a 'Big Prune'! The garden is very, very small but cosy!
      Thank you for calling in as always
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  29. I sat here on a rainy morning reading and reading and enjoying every minute of it! Lovely flowers...that match! lol Birds and benches, too. And all of the beautiful fabric and embroidery! OH MY! Your purses are fabulous. It sure makes me feel 'needful' but I read the part about thriftiness, too. I'm trying my best to make things WITH the fabric I have. I did buy just a couple of small pieces this week! haha! Enjoy your weekend! Hugs, Diane from Florida

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    1. Dear Diane
      Lovely to hear from you and how very kind you are with your words. Buying little bits of fabric is a habit which I find hard to break - I have far more 'bits' than I could use in several lifetimes I think!
      I hope that the weather is sunny for you this weekend....hang on it's always sunny in Florida!!!!

      Thank you again
      Best wishes
      Jenny

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  30. HI i love your blog , you have a new follower from Chile
    Angelica

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  31. Finished my dress, check it out...Jo x

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  32. Oh the gas man story, so funny! all those cups of tea and chats.....sometimes I wonder if I'm being too friendly....I recently had my bathroom regrouted and two days later in the evening he turned to show me his classic car, a copy of a book he had written, a bunch of flowers and a letter exclaiming heartfelt emotions. I sent him on his merry way, (he was also married with a family!) put on my high hat and told him not to contact me, I would contact him if I needed more work done......! I'm a little bit put off now to be honest, flattered but put off. Anyway, I'm glad you're embracing all things floral, inside and out. I think those pretty tea cloths must have been only used with weak tea and biscuits, otherwise you never would, would you! Love the grumpy bird!! Heather X

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  33. You have found some cool things on your travels. I love your bag you made very pretty. The tea towel with the woman is so lovely. All in all, a lovely post x

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