Saturday 5 October 2019

A basketful of bargains

I have to confess that I'm always feeling a tiny bit bereft whenever I finish a series of travelogues. Not only do I love writing these posts, they are the perfect way to relive those short-lived, carefree days and smell those roses one more time.

The best thing to do to combat post-travelogue blues is to book another another trip, methinks!

But for now, I'm reverting to my usual workaday schedule of outfit posts mixed with a dose of charity shopping, walks in the park and the occasional day trip.



And flea markets!

In spite of the fact that Indian Summer still firmly ruled two weeks ago on Sunday, we were more than happy to go to our first indoor flea market of the season. The last one had been in May and, as this Summer's outdoor markets had been rather disappointing, we were starting to get serious withdrawal symptoms.


Unusually for me, there was no forward planning involved in assembling my outfit, which was pulled from my wardrobe at the last moment on Sunday morning.

Funnily enough, this floral maxi skirt, which consists of a gauzy layer with a solid yellow underskirt, hadn't been worn at all during the Summer months, and it had been even longer since the green short-sleeved vintage jumper embroidered with pink and white flowers had seen the light of day.

I only wore my blue and orange charity shopped blazer to walk down to our garage, but henceforth it was left behind in the car.


As expected, the gorgeous weather meant that the venue wasn't booked to its full capacity, with quite a few empty spaces.

If initially it was rather disappointing to have our suspicions confirmed, it soon transpired that quality ruled over quantity as we ended up with quite a decent haul.

Here are all our buys displayed on our garden table and as you can see there is a little bit of everything. Intrigued? Then let's have a closer look!


First up are these two tins. I keep telling myself I should stop buying tins as we've long run out of space for them, but well, it seems that once again I stubbornly refused to listen to my inner voice.

I couldn't resist the gorgeously decorated tin (top and bottom left) which, judging from its colours and motifs, I suspect to date from the 1930s. The famous Belgian chocolate brand Côte d'Or is marked on its bottom, so no prices for guessing its original contents! The small yellow Maggi tin, which used to contain stock cubes, has already found a home among our kitchenalia. 



At one of our favourite stalls, belonging to our friend Tania, I spotted this tiny wooden souvenir windmill from Middelburg in Holland. As we'd spent a couple of days there last November, it obviously needed to join our growing collection. Yes, we actually have a small collection of these kitschy wooden souvenirs in our hallway, quite a few of them featuring tiny windmills. They must have been all the rage at one point, as I clearly remember one adorning the wall of my grandparents' sitting room! Lovely Tania let me have the windmill for free! 

Tania's stall is a treasure trove, and we usually end up buying one or two things. This time, my eye was caught by a colourful basket, which Tania said came from France. There's always room for another basket at Dove Cottage, especially as I'm using the majority of them for storage of some kind.

I found the yellow beads on another stall but I thought they contrasted strikingly with the basket.


This vintage lacquered bamboo basket was a steal at € 2. It opens on top, which makes it ideal for use as a small picnic basket. But then again, it'll make a nice handbag too! Either way, it will need an inner make-over as the lining is beyond redemption.


My heart skipped a beat when I spotted this vintage vinyl lunch box, delightfully decorated with two tiny children hitching a ride on a snail. The style and handle reminded me of vintage vinyl Barbie doll cases. Here in Europe, these cases were often made in France, as was this one. I'd say it dates from the early 1960s.

It was quite filthy but nothing I couldn't handle, so it came home with me.



Any additions to my burgeoning vintage fashion library are always welcome. This one on the 1940s look is an interesting read with plenty of illustrations.


Another collection of ours (I was born with the collecting gene, after all) is Tala ware, which started quite unintentionally when we picked up a Tala icing set in a tin box in an antiques shop in Rye, specializing in kitchenalia, many years ago.  

Tala is a well known British baking and kitchenware brand, and one of its oldest, founded in 1899 in Stourbridge in England's Black Country. 

This set of cookie cutters is complete and still in its box, which unfortunately isn't in the best of conditions. We would have paid more than € 3 if it had been, though, as I found a similar set in my Miller's kitchenware guide, which mentions an average price of  € 40-45 for one in mint condition.


Ah, brooches! 

I don't think I've ever left this flea market without any new treasures in that department. They were all found at different stalls at prices varying between € 2 and € 15.

Can you guess which was the most expensive? (*)




Here's a closer look at two of them. Aren't they exquisite? I particularly love the tiny birds perching on a tree branch in the one on the right, which is celluloid mounted on a metal background and decorated with filigree.

The brooch on the left is painted ceramic in a pearly frame.


The final week of September was a blur of rainy days and a busy work schedule, so I only managed outfit photos on two occasions. 

One of my outfits was based around the Springlike hues of this vintage dress, in a pale blue plaid pattern dotted with pink roses.

My accessories consisted of a pink beaded necklace, a tan leather and cream lace belt, and a vintage early plastic butterfly brooch. I wore a bright pink cardi on top, and look: I'm wearing boots for the first time this season!


This Diolen delight with its busy orange, yellow and green floral pattern on a deep aubergine background, made it the perfect choice for a dull Autumn day.

I stirred things up a bit by accessorizing it with sunshine yellow and fiery orange. I'm not sure the lady on my brooch approves, as she seems to favour blue!


One of the bright spots of my week were the final sales days at my favourite chain of vintage shops, Think Twice, where I snapped up these beauties for € 4 each.

Featuring my beloved flower prints, both the black, three-quarter sleeved one on the left and the high-necked and long-sleeved chocolate brown one on the right, are welcome additions to my Winter wardrobe.


And then there was this blue dress with flowers tumbling towards the hem. As the weather has definitely taken a turn for the worse, I'm not sure I'll be able to wear it before next Spring, but it's definitely one to look forward to.

(*) The most expensive of the brooches, for which I paid € 15, was the celluloid butterfly! Did you guess it right?

Linking my maxi skirt to Mica's Weekday Wear linkup!

37 comments:

  1. It's lovely taking a look at all your latest finds, you're a true collector!
    I absolutely love the photos at the top of the blog, it's the best outfit ever, I love it. xxx

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    1. Thank you Sally, and that is definitely an outfit I will be repeating! xxx

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  2. I guessed the butterfly straight away! It's gorgeous!

    I have to say that first outfit is my favourite. Clashing in the very best way and that maxi skirt is like sunshine in a garden.

    I hope you feature some of the illustrations in that new book on your blog. I'd love to see more of what the 40s were all about.

    Suzanne
    http://www.suzannecarillo.com

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    1. Well done Suzanne! I'll try to photograph some of the illustrations for a future post! xxx

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  3. You sure did get a lot of wonderful treasures, Ann! I love that colourful basket and yellow necklace. The kiss lunchbox is such a fun find too! Those floral dresses you found are so pretty. I love that first photo of you: your outfit is fabulous! Such a great mix of colours and textures. Hope you're having a great weekend, Ann! XXX

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    1. Thank you so much Sasha! Not sure what I'll be using the kiss lunchbox for, but I just couldn't leave it behind! xxx

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  4. The last blue dress is so gorgeous. I can be so thrilled about color combinations. Well, which was the most expensive brooche? I think the right one!

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    1. Thank you Nancy! The butterfly was the most expensive brooch, as it's made of celluloid. xxx

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  5. Oh I am in love with this wonderful flower dresses. They are amazing Ann! Naturally you bought brooches :))
    Have a nice sunday... I am back from the sun in Rome to Mannheim and rain. ;)

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    1. Thank you Tina! Oh, that must have been a shock ;-) xxx

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  6. Ooh, you got some good items at the market even though it was less full than usual! I like the tins- I really like old food containers! Your brooches are cute too and the bamboo carrier! Your dresses are darling too! Thank you so much for the email! It was useful to know about the charity shop thing! I thought that Think Twice was a charity shop! I probably won't be able to head out too far with my sister but I will certainly visit the Think Twice in Bruges, thank you for the tip!!

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    1. Thank you Kezzie! I hope you manage to get to Think Twice, it's really just a short walk from the market. Hopefully, the weather behaves for you too! xxx

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  7. Oh what a nice post! I love everything :)


    Saw your blog and thought if you would like to follow each other? Follow me and I'll follow back asap. Let me know what you think. I'd love to hear something from you! :)
    www.cielofernando.com
    FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM

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  8. i´m glad that the caramic brooch was not the most expensive... because it´s not painted. one can see the tiny dots typical for frame printed decal (had to google the word).....
    the celluloid butterfly is indeed a treasure - very delicate and very art deco!
    the last dress is a stunner! such a gorgeous print and cut!
    love that bold maxi skirt!!
    hugsies! xxxxx

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    1. Thank you for pointing it out, Beate. It was actually the cheapest brooch, bought for only € 2. I got a better price for the celluloid butterfly, as I always stop and chat with her. Her original price was way more than € 15! xxx

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  9. I like the maxi skirt you wore to shop and you did pick up so many cute pieces! the brooches are so nice but I have to say that last floral dress at the end there is my favourite :)

    Hope that you had a great weekend. We had a picnic today, taking advantage of the public holiday and great weather :) I just posted my weekday wear linkup, I'd love you to join! :) I've got a scarf giveaway on my blog right now too!

    Away From Blue

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    1. Thank you so much Mica! I joined your linkup, as you've probably noticed. I don't always have the time, but will try my best! xxx

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  10. What a lovely array of frocks! Your thrown together outfit was a triumph, I love it when those last minute wardrobe experiments come together well.
    Love the tins, especially that sweet Maggi one and I guessed the most expensive brooch correctly - hooray! What were the chances of finding a windmill from the place you & Jos visited previously?
    We booked our next adventure yesterday, I've spent this afternoon drooling over heritage houses and travel blogs. xxx

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    1. Well done on guessing the most expensive brooch, which didn't really surprise me ;-) We've actually booked our next adventure too! xxx

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  11. So many wonderful outfits and accessories!

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  12. Oh drat! I guessed wrong: I thought it was the grapes...

    What wonderful things you've been finding! I'm the same about tins and have had to stop buying them. My baking shelf is full of tins and I just can't fit anymore in the cupboard.

    The baskets were lovely and I loved your brooches and all those wonderful printed dresses. I love how you do a closeup of the patterns of the clothes you've bought because it could be easy to miss the lovely detail.

    The skirt and the lovely green jumper in the first outfit post were just fabulous and the pattern clashing with the blazer was brilliant.

    Hope you have a good week!
    xxx

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    1. Thank you Vronni. I always try and include close-ups of patterns and any special details. You weren't the only one who guessed the grapes ;-) xxx

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  13. I guessed incorrectly; also thought it was the grapes (they look like Bakelite).

    I like your non-travel posts too - so much to see and enjoy!
    - that marvelous maxi skirt (so nice with the green top)
    - the top-opening basket and vintage 40s fashion book
    - the black and blue floral dresses really appeal to me.

    I hope you had a relaxing weekend!

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    1. The grapes are lovely but just plastic, no Bakelite. I actually have them in red too! Glad you also like my non-travel posts, as there's a few of them coming up ;-) xxx

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  14. That lunchbox is my favourite of your fab finds! I didn't get the brooch right. I'm terrible at that 'good, better, best' on the Antiques Roadshow! Xx

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    1. So glad you loved the lunchbox! Oh, and I'm never getting those Antique Roadshow things right either ... xxx

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  15. I didn't guess right. I thought it might be the painted porcelain one. Somehow I didn't suspect the butterfly. However, all the brooches are beautiful. Certainly precious enough to justify the price.

    I can relate to the post travel post blues, I get it too sometimes. Lovely outfits to fight away the grey days, though. I just love your printed dresses.

    Your purchases are always fascinating. WHere do you find all these lovely things? The basket bag is so pretty and simply perfect for picnics. The lunch bag from the sixties with a print of two kids riding a snail is so cute. The art is fab and the box itself is so cute.

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    1. Thank you ivana! We are so lucky to have such a great flea market on our doorstep. They are being held monthly except for July and August, and we always find the lovelies treasures. xxx

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  16. So true, the best way to brush off post-travel blues is to book another trip. Looks like you've found some wonderful additions in your latest haul. I especially like the bamboo basket. The book looks interesting too. As for the beautiful brooches, my guess was either the grapes or the butterfly. All your dresses are delightful. My favourites are definitely that long floral maxi skirt and the aubergine, orange and yellow dress. Have a great week.

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    1. Thank you Suzy, and guess what: we did book another trip in the meantime. We'll be off again for a couple of days in November! xxx

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  17. No I’d didnt guess the brooch right but they are both lovely. Such a fabulous array of colours again. I really need it as the weather is horrible here and the mornings are getting darker. I need to give myself a shake up I think as winter has a long way to go yet
    Lynn xxx

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    1. The weather's been horrible here too, Lynn. I definitely need lots of colour to get me through Winter! xxx

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  18. wowww, I'm in love with your floral maxi and green top ensemble, such delightful colors. Also in love with those baskets and your growing kitchenalia collection, they're pretty irresistible ítems!
    Always lovely brooches, but never thought that the butterfly was the most expensive one. I would have voted for the cute birds brooch!
    Love your blue plaid dress and the orange floral one too, they're both gorgeous!. And your accessorizing is so fab!. I'm shocked by you wearing boots, it's still (unseasonably) warm here.
    Looking forward to see those dark floral dresses 'in action', particularly the last one whose orange flowers look so lovely!
    besos

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    1. Thank you Monica! The cute birds brooch was the second expensive, if that's any consolation ;-) And oh yes, I've definitely been wearing boots already, as the weather has been most dreadful! xxx

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