Bucket heads and ear dragging!

Yes just a usual day in the fifties household. Finley discovers a new use for the sticklebrick bucket. Not just a bucket but apparently also a dancing head bucket. Translation: You must put the bucket on your head whilst singing 'Corrina Corrina' and shaking your booty as fast as you can. Note: Do Not stand still for even a second, Mum might take your photo and put it on her blog for all to see. Blurriness = Anonymity. If all else fails push the bucket further down over your face. Never fails!

No not a dead dog, an ear dragging Shar Pei! For those of you who are not Shar Pei owners, heres the deal. Shar Pei's are not dogs they are a species of their own. They are completely different from every other bred of dog. ( I could go on!!) Extremely high maintenance and highly sensitive they will love you forever and be loyal forever. Originally bred as Chinese fighting dogs, they have come a long way. I may be Fiftiesgirl but one thing i don't like about the fifities is the fact that the Chinese decided to eat these beautiful creatures. They became a delicacy at first but then staple diet. Can you imagine eating your dog!!

Their skin is known as too big for them, the idea being that in the fighting ring when bitten, they could easily shake off their competitor. The so called 'meatmouth' (the gorgeous cheeks that i love to squeeze) was so that it was hard for competitor to bite the face and that the Shar Pei had a bigger bite. The ears are also quite strange. Almost sealed down to the face. Also in the ring less for the opponent to grab. Downside is now that these little gorgeous ears let no air into them what so ever, meaning the dog is plagued with ear problems if not correctly cleaned once a week. This weekly ritual becomes no easier each week and missy hates it more and more each time. Once a week i squirt the cleaner into each ear, once a week she tries to run away. Once a week she realises she cant get away so once a week she tolerates it. Then when its done she licks my cheek, shakes her head, sprays everyone and everything in the room with ear drops. Then for 10 minutes she does the funniest thing ever. She puts her ear on the carpet and runs in a circle. This continues until she is so dizzy that when she stands up she falls over!

How we love you China Belle.

Her full name is also quite amusing: Ula Punto Princess China Belle.

Ula: Her mothers kennel affix

Punto: She was born in a Punto on the way to the vets

China: Because we couldn't agree on a name. I wanted to call her Betty or Dolly but CB not so keen! We opted for something so cliche that its actually unusual. No-one surely would call their Chinese Shar Pei 'China'. Yes. We did. !

Princess: Because she is

Belle: Because she is beautiful!

So there you have it. Everything you never wanted to now about the Shar Pei. May i also add. She is the most fantastic, intelligent, stubborn, mind of her own, loyal, guard dog, warm water bottle snuggle, loving companion that i have ever had the pleasure of knowing. She is a treat to spend your day with and she is a mysterious lady who i hope will be with us for a long time.

Love you missy x

The fridge has arrived!!!

Who would think that anyone could get so excited about an everyday item such as a fridge! I have however been without such a luxury since 26th August!! I am now going to do a huge shop of chilled and frozen goodies and enjoy the commodity!!

I must now say Happy Birthday to Jim!! We are going to the caravan to celebrate his birthday tonight, no doubt with lots of karaoke, Elvis of course!

I have made my craziest cake to date for Jim.

Dont think you can get the full extent of it from the picture but i have named it the Elvis quiz cake. There are 17 hidden Elvis songs on this cake. The easiest one being American Trilogy, the three flags. If you get the idea!! Im not terribly good at drawing though so the rest of the clues drawn with the food colouring pens are a little less easy to fathom out. He first has to decipher my scrawl!! Should provide amusement though!!

I am really looking forward to tonight as the little man is staying at his Nanna's house allowing us grown ups to party into the wee small hours! The sun has also been out here today so has hopefully dried up some of the mud on the caravan site. If all else fails i will be sporting my multicoloured wellies. Great for mud but not so good for dancing!

I always aim to look glamorous when i set off to the van, but somehow after 10 minutes, with hair stuck to lipgloss, mud over clothes, i give up. I then retreat to my faithful black hoodie. When it gets that bad i can pull the hood up so as not to scare any young children in the vicinity!

Hoping the sun stays with us tomorrow as there is a boot sale on the way home tomorrow that i may just have to pay a visit to. CB permitting!!

Hope you have a great weekend, i shall return soon with campsite tales!

Happy Thrifting! x x x

Going potty!!!!

No not me, Finley!!

Yesterday Finley used the potty for the first time hoorah!!! I have not been pushing him as im a firm believer that children progress when they are ready, and sure enough he has. To date we have had one little accident on the floor but i would say that is pretty good going for a just turned two year old!!!

He has been to the childminder today for the second time ever. After being at home with him since he was born i was a little apprehensive about leaving him as he has spent so much time at home with me. Its only for 5 hours a week on a Thursday so that i can spend time in the office doing paperwork for Mr Taxman! Despite my reservations he thoroughly enjoys it. He talks about it all week and kisses me goodbye when i drop him off. Thank heavens there are no tears that would just be too much to bear! When i go to collect him he tells me that hes staying there and says bye to me in the hope that i will leave him there a little longer!!

No thrifting finds to report as the car boot season here has been well and truly rained off for this year. Oh how i will miss my Thursday boot sales. The anticipation of what you might find, the joy of finding that treasure, the excitement of the haggle, and the long walk home; thrifting bag laden with goodies and head full of thoughts of where to put my ever growing collections!! Finley has also become quite good at thrfting this year. His eyes are peeled for action men. He has even realised to look low for action men as they are usually in boxes on the floor under the tables. When he spots them he shouts 'actionman' at the top of his voice in a bingo fashion!! I dont know what i am going to do all winter with no thrifting fix. The charity shops around here are hopeless. Anything half decent costs more than it would have done when it was brand new, and any vintage goodies are priced higher than they would be at an antiques fair. I am craving looking at old things already and we are still in September!

I still also have those all important 'wants' that i NEEEEEED to find. Things that i have been looking out for all year but still not managed to find!







I would love to find a kewpie doll. I have found a new love for these dolls but have never been lucky enough to find one. I could get one from ebay but i always feel like ive cheated when i use ebay. Typing the name of an item that you want; then clicking to buy is nowhere near as satisfying as hunting down that special item and buying it for a bargain price.
The hunt continues!




Take care Happy Thrifting. x

The Sun came out!!!!

After yesterday's winter inspired post, the sun came out!!

We decided to venture outside and go for a walk. We are lucky enough that just around the corner about 250yards from our doorstep is some lovely countryside.

Would you like to join us on our walk.......

This is the footpath up there

We looked for birds, counted trees and picked blackberries

And on the way back we threw sticks and stones into the stream.

It was a lovely breezy sunny walk. Just what we needed after all of this rain!

We will be making a blackberry and apple crumble for tea. To be served with custard of course!

I hope the sun has been shining where you are today.

Happy Thrifting. x

Winter has arrived!

After a non-existent summer and non stop rain, i have now resigned myself to the fact that winter is here. I have tested the central heating and it still works!!

I have been buying wooly jumpers for us and packing away summer clothes.

Although i love the summer, i also love the autumn and winter. Snuggling under cosy fleece blankets, chunky wooly scarves and jumpers, and best of all a lovely fire.

At present we have a hideous electric fire that came with the house. We are however hopefully changing it to one of these

Hopefully it will conform to our plan of heating the water and the house and in a bid to beat the rising costs of fuel, we will hopefully have a cosy house this winter!

Not much else to blog about really. Lots of sorting and cleaning for the winter. I am waiting for the rain to stop to pack away the waterlogged ball pool and bouncy castle that are sat in my garden.

I am also hoping to pick some blackberries this week and i am aiming to make a batch of blackberry and apple jam. With all of this cold wet weather i have been inspired to cook winter inspired comfort foods. Pies, stews and soup are all on the menu this week.

I have also bought 3 Christmas presents this week! I am aiming to be organised this year and hopefully by the time December arrives i will have Christmas sorted. Thats the plan anyway!

So after this winter inspired post i will sign off and carry on with some sewing. Holes to mend and buttons to replace!

Happy Thrifting x

Please visit Nie

Please visit Nie. Check out the link it explains all.

http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html

This is where to catch up with their progress

http://blog.cjanerun.com/

Heres wishing all of the best wishes in the world. x

Lovely things!!

After a week full of problems with various things, i thought i would begin this post on a positive note. First of all would like to say a massive thankyou to 'Sootypea' from the Shabbychic forum who has kindly sent me one of the elusive Cath Kidston Tesco bags. These are supposed to be for sale in all Tesco's however after paying a visit to our local Mr T's, once again, and asking if they have any, the staff once again no nothing about them! Thanks Sooty.

I dont know what it is but i just HAVE to have them! Not only are they gorgeous to look at but they are also ideal for various uses. Especially as 'thrifting' bags. An ideal size and super strong, to hold your finds at the car boot sale. Just got to get my hands on a stripey one now and i will have the full set to date. Although two more are being released this year so the hunt will continue!!

Yesterday the postie arrived with goodies.

The red one is a tea towel and the other an apron. Both 1950's of course. I love the colours of them they are so cheery and so fifties. The stitching on the apron says 'Toucan wash up.' They will look great with my other fifties aprons and teatowels if only i can think of a clever way to display them. Im running out of space in my kitchen and am racking my brains to find them a home. If any of you have any ideas please let me know!

Yesterday i visited the market and found some lovely ribbons and crafty bits and bobs. I dont know what i will make with them yet, probably some cushion covers for the caravan, but i can never resist ribbons and buttons!

On a more serious note this week and a warning to all of you other dog owners, i must tell you what happened on Monday.

This little girl was following me around whilst i was cleaning (as she always does). She spotted a wasp and sniffed it. The wasp then stung her on her cheek several times and embedded itself in her cheek. Eventually i managed to pull it out. The area was swollen and bleeding but she didnt seem too bad. Literally 10 minutes later she was laying on the floor and having what i can only describe as a fit. She was shaking violently and frothing at the mouth. After a frantic rush to the vets she was given a jab of adrenalin and was fine. Very frightening and very worrying. The vet said that she had an allergic reaction to the wasp venom and that she could have died within an hour. I am so thankful that i actually saw the wasp sting her. If she had been outside on her own i dread to think what could have happened. Apparently wasps are more aggressive at this time of year so sting more frequently. I will certainly be keeping a look out for those horrible wasps.

Thankfully she is on the mend now. Still not quite herself but getting there. Lots of cuddles in order i think.

Anyway a heap of cleaning, washing and ironing awaits so bye for now.

Happy Thrifting. x