Happy New Year

Happy New Year to everyone. Normal blogging shall resume shortly, with tales of Christmas and birthday fun! We have had a great time this year here in chez fifties. Even the random usually dull days between Christmas and New Year have been good this year. I hope your Christmas has been great too.

However you are spending New Year's Eve, have a great time.

Wishing a Happy, Healthy, prosperous New Year to all!!! x

Merry Christmas

Heres hoping your Christmas is full of love, happiness and many many best wishes. At this time of year its a time for contemplation, reflection and enjoyment.

Best wishes from the Fifties household to yours. Enjoy. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. x x x x x x

Christmas respite!!

After all of the panic of recent weeks i feel a little relaxation coming on. I have that little tiny gap in the manic and mayhem of Christmas where i can breathe a sigh of relief. I have done all of the shopping that can be done at the moment. I have cleaned places in my home that i didn't know existed. Until i cleaned them that is!! I have a little break until tomorrow/ Sunday possibly. I'm hoping Monday. Having a husband that has a milestone birthday on boxing day, leads to a little planning shopping wise! I have a dinner for 9 planned on Christmas Day and a party for who knows how many on boxing day! So here's to a relaxing Saturday night. I know i have a shopping frenzy that is imminent!!
Happy Christmas thrifting x

Perks of the job........

Sometimes its not what you know but who you know. Being self employed, you miss out on those bottles of gratitude at Christmas, birthday chocs and gifts for thanks. Sometimes we get gifts but not that often!! Yesterday however i was offered this lovely box for £15. It contains 700+ postcards, mixed, not sorted. It was a chance. I took that chance and im sooooo pleased that i did!!

It came from a converstion with a customer. Having his haircut discussing random things. Like i say, a perk of the job. How else would you know that this box of loveliness could be bought for £15!!! Christmas cards from 1927, birthday cards from 1930. Greetings from 1947 and every two years there after. Postcards from far flung destinations dated various years in the last 100. Sometimes people dont realise what treasure they have in their rubbish. He was going to throw these out. He had no use for them. What use have i got for them............ none whatsoever. But i have saved them i wont throw them out.... Ever!!!!

I have some special ones but im saving them to show you another time.... x x x

Happy Christmas thrifting x x x

A love story..................

Ok, usually i show you treasures of a purchased kind. This treasure that i have is different. I found him. In a dingy dark local pub he was there. I knew him before that but we kind of got to know each other. We went through a lot of things together, had A LOT of fun, then we got married. Then we got pregnant. All of a sudden we had a gift so precious. He was perfect in every way.

You take us to crazy places. We go out for 10 minutes and come back 5 hours later. You buy me special dogs, you take me thrifting for endless hours, sometimes you moan. You put us all first. You sometimes buy me expensive flowers (please dont.... think what i could do with £40!!!!!). You dont moan when i buy old things. You look gorgeous when you cut the ribbon the with miss leicestershire. I miss you every day. We both do. Sometimes you make really strong tea and its the best!!!

All the time you do cool hair cuts.

Sometimes you get upset about things. Because you worry. Sometimes you buy us old houses with old bathrooms. We laugh at them but we love them.

Sometimes we own beautiful cars .

Sometimes we dont do any of these things. Sometimes we just love each other.

Sometimes we fall asleep on the settee BUT ALWAYS........................................................................................ WE LOVE YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE ................................. CB...... CLINTY BARBER.

OUR ONE AND ONLY. WE LOVE YOU MR CLINTY BARBER X X X X X X X X X X XX X XX X

Powerless.................

Friday. We planned it all week. The CB will have the day off (two staff drafted in to cover.) I got up as usual, pottered around cleaning for an hour. 9 am : NO ELECTRICITY!!!!!!

A phone call later to EON ; who we pay £200 pounds per month to.........''oh yes, you have work on that circuit.... it will maybe be on at 1.30 but maybe not!!!!

Well ok. I have to wash and dry my hair. Sometimes owning a salon has its perks. A wash and blow dry later im looking like some kind of human!!!

Today we have been shopping all day with mum. My lovely sister Sarah came with us. Mum was really proud, she bought 3 presents, food for 6 for tonight and less than £35 in Asda. Back home food on the go......... NO POWER. 5 FIREMEN 1 FIRE ENGINE 1 RUINED DINNER.... X FACTOR FINAL!!!!! The underground cable had caught fire. Flames coming from the pavement!!! Luckily she lives 150 yrds from me and on a different circuit. We shared our power and got take out. Food ruined though. A lovely evening although not planned, very much welcome!!!

Translation.

Sometimes in life we dont look hard enough. As the saying goes; we dont see the wood for the trees. Sometimes things are more than what we see and most times we dont see it. We dont have time to stop and think for that extra moment that perhaps might bring us comfort in hard times and understanding in bad.

Sometimes there is just more.

Sometimes we find more. Those small insignificant things suddenly seem relevant. Not always at the time but maybe a little later. We can take comfort and strength.

I bought this piece of beautiful embroidery back in the summer. I just liked it. The work that has gone into it, the person that spent hours stitching it and the reason it was for sale on a house clearance stall somewhat intrigue me.

I also like the story that led to me purchasing it!

I have a favourite seller on a local car boot sale. He does house clearance. We have an understanding now. He knows my need for ANYTHING fifties style/ my style!! He keeps it for me then i pay him. Great. Just as an understanding should be. I spotted this way back when the days were hot, sorry i meant rainy, and our base for the weekend was the retro caravan, (Summer).

He wanted £15 for it. Not a lot considering the work but i dont call it thrifting for nothing!!

Week after week it would still be there and each week he would lower the price. I gave in at £3 and its now mine!!!

Its now happily housed in a frame, waiting to be hung in a prime spot in the 'gallery' (kitchen wall)!!

It now means so much more. The words and meaning become clearer everyday.

'April showers bring forth May flowers.'

When we sat around the table at lunchtime today, after laying Grandad in his final resting place, Auntie Vicky, Auntie Alison, Kezia, Mum, Fin and I, those words could not have meant more and been more apt. There were no April showers only May flowers.

April showers are terrible, but somewhere at the end of it; flowers do bloom....... if you let them.

Take care Happy thrifting x

I am Gretel.........

..... As in Hansel and Gretel!!

I now have a gingerbread house.

I have always dreamt of one day owning a 'chocolate box' cottage in a truly charming village somewhere not too far away from here. Now i have one!! Ok not quite livable but charming nonetheless!

Since Mum got me the ikea £1.50 gingerbreadhouse, I am now the lucky owner of my dream house. A charming snow covered cottage!! See me skating on the frozen pond in my tu-tu??

Yes it is a little cold to be wearing such brief attire i must come in now!

I am very pleased with my gingerbread house and i have another to make for Christmas, this was the practice one. I decorated it with one of those sweetie bracelets. On the instructions it was done with smarties but in true Fiftiesgirl / shabbychic style i think the pastel colours compliment it a treat. Have you noticed the marshmallow smoke coming from the chimney?? Its eco- friendly!

This was a great kit however i fear i have committed the cardinal sin of melting sugar in your best saucepan! (sugar is what is used to stick it all together). Instead of scraping the oozy gloopy melted sugar into the bin whilst still oozy and gloopy, when finished, i'm now left with this mess and conundrum!! In the excitement of showing off the finished Fifties cottage to CB i have left the melting sugar to go hard in the pan. Then, in a moment of total random stupidity i poured cold water on it- result- one ruined pan!!!

I also pulled the brush out of it with all of my might. Resulting in hair glued forever to the pan and a bald brush!!

Note to self- Do NOT get carried away again no matter how excited you are over finished project.

At this moment in time i'm thinking, take pan out of water, allow to drain, heat sugar to boiling point, tip in bin, scrub pan, wash in sink, dry, put away, DONE!!!! or DUMB!

If the cap fits and all that!!!

Anyhow i hope that you are liking the tunes. Ive added some of my favourite music to try and make my blog more personal. Sorry if its not to your taste but i'm sure you have a volume button if not!!!

Further to my last post i did not complete my Christmas shopping on Thursday. CB had a hospital appointment and was a little worse for wear afterwards which resulted in us heading home earlier than planned. Ho hum there's a little time yet!

Saturday night we were blessed with a visit from Mamma Nesta and Grandad Col-Col ( SEE NESTA I TOLD YOU THAT YOU WOULD BE MENTIONED AGAIN SOON IN FG BLOGLAND!!!!) She is so organised ( Nesta is CB's mum!!) that she bought all of our Christmas presents over and they are now in my spare room!!! As I type this i am resisting the urge to open my pressie. They have given me a 'Car boot in a box'. IM SOOOOOOOOO excited. Only Ness would know my ideal pressie and she has given it to me this year. The box is enormous and full of treasure so i'm very excited to open it!!! Only problem is that i feel a set of shelves is due to provide a home for my ever growing collection ..... are you reading this CB??????. (Above the window is looking promising!!!)

I must also mention yesterdays magical mystery tour. We left here yesterday in our car clothes i.e.: expecting to be kept warm via heaters for the duration. Not wrapped for the elements. We went to the local farm and stocked up on our log quota for the week and a bit of veg for our Sunday Lunch. We then went to get Diesel. CB then decided that we would be embarking on a long journey to who knows where!!! 2 hours later we had our car parked in Lincoln and were walking around the Christmas market.

What an absolutely charming place to visit. The market was lovely but i was more intrigued with the shops.Little shabby shops selling Bridgewater and Cath!! Shabby Heaven!!! THEN to my delight i found an antiques shop. Yes, my radar was working and didn't let me down!! Two floors of FG heaven. Vintage Linen, jewellery, crockery, porcelain, OMG i could have been there all day. Finley took a liking to the owner of the shop and they chatted a while. We then walked down the cobbled street back to the car. I have never been to Lincoln before but it certainly left its mark with me. I liked it better than Bath and told CB we should relocate NOW!! Once home after 2 and a half hours drive ( the traffic was horrendous), i proceeded to search 'rightmove' for my dream home in Lincoln. It didn't take me long. I found one for my lottery win, a million pounds of course, just down the road from the city, and one for my 'real' life. A beautiful 4 bed edwardian townhouse within walking distance of the castle and cathedral. In the words of JLS on Saturday night i'm 'Already there' !! My furniture has been moved in, the walls have been painted and the tree is up! Just a FEW loose ends to tie up here!!!

Mamma you would have loved it (see that's twice now. You are almost famous!! ALMOST!!)

I will take you next time you will love it. x

If you have made it to the end of this post then well done. I'm rambling now!!!

Take Care Happy Thrifting x x x

Christmas panic!!!

I may not be around much in the next few days as the panic has finally set in!! I have to do my Christmas shopping.

This year it seems that the panic has set in more than ever.

This year will be the first year that Finley will understand Christmas i think. Last year he was only 1 and didnt really understand opening presents. He would open one then be quite happy to play with that for the rest of the day. He didnt understand that there were more presents containing more toys!

This year is a different story. He tells me what he would like, what colour it should be and how many of them he would like. His favourite time for doing this is the ad breaks on the Nick Jr channel, and what a lot of them there are. I begin to dread the adverts coming on as i know the converstation that will follow:

''I like it Mummy''

''Yes its nice isn't it''

''Get it please Mummy''

''We will ask Santa for it''

''No, dont like wait Santa, want it now''

''We will ask Santa for it IF you are good''

''Nooooooooooooo''...............................

I guess this is why its called the terrible two's!!

I think i know where he is coming from though. Can you all remember when you were younger, asking for something perhaps in late October onwards, the response was: ''We will see what Santa brings''. I didnt like waiting for Santa either! That feeling of anticipation and hoping that 'Santa' didnt forget to bring it!

So tomorrow, footloose and toddler free (he's at the childminders!), I will be buying as many Christmas presents as time and funds permit! No pushchair to load with bags though so will miss that, but wont miss the waiting for lifts, and trying to squeeze myself and said buggy around the shops without damage or injury to myself or others!!

Im hoping those much wanted 'must have' toys have not yet sold out and that i can return home laden with gifts! We will see.

I also notice that Laura Ashley have a 25% off sale starting tomorrow!! I may venture in to buy a few pressies for people and see if there is anything to treat myself too. But Shhhhhhh dont tell anyone!

So heres to preparing for a perfect, stress free, Christmas.

Just off to Tesco's now. Fingers crossed they have the latest, much sought after Christmas themed CK bag. You know to carry my shopping in tomorrow!

Take Care, Happy Christmas Thrifting x x