Monday 2 November 2009

Junk Shop Finds

No carboot sales for me this weekend due to inclement weather forecasts, so I, very wisely, managed to steal away for an hour on Friday to go to my favourite junk shop and it proved very fruitful indeed.

Okay, so some of the things I bought are a bit odd, but no worse off for that. Shall we have a look? Then you can decide for yourselves..

First up is this groovy jig-saw-ish game, called Car Capers, you have to make such classics as an Austin Maestro. Fun!



Some squeaky toys - maybe from the 1950s? - they remind me of Jeff Koons' work, I can just imagine one three metres high and perhaps made of stainless steel. Super kitsch and super super annoying when squeaked incessantly.



And also some flocked animals, such as this squirrel with a real fur tail. He only has one eye and his nut has long disappeared.



A tiger and a proud lion, both pretty unravaged by the passing of time.



A shifty looking polar bear.



Some story-telling gloves. The prints on these are so sweet! I love all their dear little faces!



A teeny tiny little doll, I rather like her.



A jolly Brio figure.



A tube of 'Figure Craft' for making all kinds of creations.



I just loved the look of all the different shapes and groovy colours.



A pair of tiny white leather shoes.



Some little pieces of embroidered fabric that I'm going to stitch onto a blouse or cardigan.



And that was that.

Well, actually there was lots more oddness. More animals missing various limbs (they were all in one big bag) and a really nice old till for Iris. She keeps pretending it's a bepooter (computer), and that she's working (this involves hitting all the buttons very quickly in the manner of typing). Tsk! These modern children!


In other non-junk related news, I carved another pumpkin. Pretty, no?



And today, we went to the seaside, but the reason I'm showing you this photograph is because of some re-purposing that I am particularly pleased with.

Do you see Iris's leg warmers? They're a pair of Paul's old socks, (the pair he wore on our wedding day no less), they were sadly beyond repair but now live on in an equally stylish way (I just cut the feet off)!




I'm planning to make some more as they're so simple, although I will probably add some elastic and hem the ones I do next, you know, do it properly. I am also part way through teaching myself how to crochet so expect some wonky evidence of that this week..

22 comments:

Anna Betts said...

Yay! What a lovely post, so many goodies, and those leg warmers, not just for the little-uns I say! I've got a mound of old socks to darn (like that's ever gonna happen), thanks for the idea! Love those hand puppets too and the figure craft bits - they are plate designs waiting to happen no?

She Draws said...

Oooo I love you finds today. I was looking at your blog earlier and getting some inspiration from your finds especially the vintage books. I have some nice ideas for some new illustrations thanks to you :)

Naomi Devlin said...

Nat, those squeaky toys are frankly disturbing (as is Jeff Koons, so maybe that's what you were going for?) I'm concerned that you may wake in the night to find them staring down at you in a scary yet mawkish way. Yeek!

As for the other animals 'unravaged by time', I feel the loss of a leg on the lion's part and total absence of facial features for the squirrel may qualify them for the 'adorable, yet horribly ravaged section' of any toy collection. no?

The figure craft and the leather shoes on the other hand are undeniably gorgeous. What a fantastic eye you have.

x x x

Francesca said...

love those gloves! and iris's coat is adorable. looking forward to seeing wonky crochet evidence!

Flora said...

Aha...I have a feeling we may both have visited the same junk shop around the same time...but you got there before me. I came out with a load of random childhood oddities as well - mainly playing cards and some other quirks. Am I right?

nath said...

hello!

Anna - yes, make some socky leg warmers! i want to see them when you're done. and you're right, the craft shapes are totally making me think plates too!

Laura - wow! i can't wait to see!

Naomi - don't be scared of the squeaky toys, but now, you've said that i might have to stash them in a (lockable) drawer. ha! that you find Jeff Koons disturbing, i used to really like his work when i was at college. he does have a weirdly smooth bland face though.

also - the lion has all four legs despite all suggestion to the contrary! i'll keep him in the drawer too with that velvet horse that creeped you out last night, do you remember?!

Francesca - i so love that little coat too. this is the last winter it'll fit her. sob! it's vintage Italian deadstock!

Flo - yes! i saw you right afterwards. sorry to have cleaned up so proficiently, did you get some dolls house stuff? perfect for your homemade room set. no?

Jen Walshaw said...

This is a great tutorial for the leg warmers, means that you dont have to add elastic http://mygratitudeattitudes.blogspot.com/2009/09/how-to-make-baby-leggings-tutorial.html

Laura said...

Boy, that is one shofty looking polar bear. I wouldn't want to mess with him. Loving the leg warmers what a genius idea!
And,
meant to say that the Halloween post was scaaaary. I clicked on the link to that film and then immediately had to click off! The first second was enough for me. But on the note of scaries check this out http://www.peopleofwalmart.com/

I will apologise now for any offence that will probably occur, but it was just too gruesome not to share. x

ringmaster said...

love love love the gloves!!!! everything else is pretty nice also!!!

Denise | Chez Danisse said...

What fun! I especially like the little doll.

Philiy said...

I nearly bought that car capers game...he he!

Laura said...

I obviously meant shifty and not shofty. x

Unknown said...

lovin' the look of that figure craft,
what a great haul!

Jane O Sullivan said...

....lovely lovely post nath :)
I absolutely love the animals and I will feature them in a drawing ...
listen heres a secrete ...legwarmers on my arms , been doing it for years , I bet you do already ...BUT if you dont , try it

It's just a Monday said...

yeah some great finds there!
how cute are those little white shoes. i'd hang them up on some ribbon!

i might make my edie some of those legwarmers. great idea.

x

Top Bird @ Wee Birdy said...

Love your thrifting finds - the squeaky toys are just delightful. Teh little white shoes are adorable, too (as is the pic of your daughter in her dad's wedding day socks. How sweet!). xx

Fine Little Day said...

Great finds Nath + pumpkin :)

anisatomic said...

What great finds! The finger puppets and shoes are my favourite. They have a version of leg warmers here for arms called hand socks.

Lynne said...

Ok, I really like the legwarmers - but look at that little coat! It is adorable! I meant to tell you about a pumpkin I saw - it was stencilled through a doily and was very lovely.

lili scratchy said...

thank you for the visit ;)
Good night!!

Stéphanie said...

Oh ! Lovely !

Baglady said...

Love the punpkin. So nice to see a stylish one instead of scary faces!