Car Boot Haul

I went to a Car Boot Market on Saturday, it was a gloriously sunny day, great atmosphere and lots of bargains, here's what I got...

A nice wooden file index, I'll probably use it for recipes, although "A" is missing, I guess that's Aardvark stuffed with apricots and avocado out ;-) $3





After waiting forever to find a nice vintage lamp in working order I found THREE at once -$5 each - all working!! I love the one with the little flowers on it - "Shabby Industrial"?

More vintage sports equipment for the boys - $5, I love the lovely turned handles of the bats and the old net!

A nice photo-album with faux-wood effect on cover - $3.

And a cute vintage tour bus for the munchkins' collection - $1.

A thing about tin

A common material I come across in thrift shops and at sales is tin, most of the items I have picked up are for the boys, some favourites are:

These cute tin toys are a nice addition to my boys' ever-growing collection. The little guy on the bike was $2 and the chicken was 50 cents in Vinnie's.

These cute little cars were 50 cents each in Ted Noffs.

Dr. Zeuss bucket was 50 cents at a garage sale.

Little pencil case was $1 in Ted Noffs.

Carousel tin was $1 in Ted Noffs.

This Thomas tin is a favourite, $2 in Salvos.

And for me, this nice tea caddy for 50 cents at a garage sale.

Off the bat

I don't consider myself a collector, there are no clusters of animal-themed brasses or crystal flowers adorning any corner of my house. I do however often find myself drawn to items of a similar theme, material or era without realising it, and then I soon realise I have a little "collection" of items that go nicely together. This is one such collection:

Without really thinking about it, I have collected a nice little group of vintage sporting equipment for the boys. When not in use I think these will also make nice decor, either hanging from hooks on their walls, gathered together in a corner or hanging from the gym lockers I hope to "Find" someday and spraypaint for their room.

The vintage tennis racquets are my favourite, $3 each in Vinnie's, they remind me of the racquets we used to have as kids, we would become tennis obsessed when Wimbledon was on TV every year and spend hours playing out in the cul-de-sac.

These smaller bats are great for the boys to use now, $1 each in Vinnie's, my eldest loves banging a ping-pong ball around with the red bat in particular.

Toy Story

As a Mum, some of my favourite finds are toys. I have thrifted toys of all varieties - flashing, noisy, creative, challenging, aggravating, but the same favourites seem to reign with the boys...

I got this fantastic wooden truck at a carboot market, can't remember what I paid for it, I think $5, whatever I paid, it was worth it!! The boys have had hours of fun with it, it's a big one so the little ones can take turns sitting on it while their biggest brother pushes them around, stash their books in it and use it as little mobile library, fill it with lego...

This cute wooden frog has the littlies in stitches with its funny flapping legs when we pull it around - 50 cents at a carboot market.

Gorgeous little wooden car, a favourite for little hands to push around - $1 at a carboot market.

And of course they love bashing away on these bongos - 50 cents at a garage sale.