Saturdays Boot Sale Thrifting finds

Its funny how a theme often seems to run through my thrifting day.... Some days I strike it lucky on my wardrobe challenge, other days its books, some days its china and other days its pictures. Of course there are also the barren thrifting days where nothing makes its way home with me and I'm haunted by stacks of 'Big Mouth Singing Bass' and Martina Cole novels.

Anyhow, last weekend I went to two interesting Boot Sales and both days had a theme running through them. Different themes for each day and I made a host of wonderful finds. In fact some of these finds were prety special and they are going to have a post all for their very own but more of that later.

For now I wanted to show you my Saturday finds. The theme for saturday seemed to be paintings. Now if you've read this little blog in the past you'll know that I have a soft spot for original paintings and I've been lucky enough to find both water colours and oil paintings for only a few pounds each in the past.

I haven't found any great pictures for a while though. Well, I did find a pretty small watercolour of a mother and child walking down a tree lined dusty lane but when I asked the price I was in for a shock. The seller, a man in his twenties trying to put on the lordly air of an experienced dealer, told me that since it was 'an original watercolour and from the 1950's' he was expecting at least 40-50 pounds for it. Now I don't know what TV show he's been watching but watercolours from amateur unknown artists don't sell for such high amounts at a car boot sale on a windy field.

I left the man to it. If he sells it good luck to him but I certainly wasn't going to entertain it for that price . The DH always says why didn't you tell them he'll never get that? To which I always reply, well there might be some sucker out there who will pay daft money and why should I waste my breath arguing when ten to one the same thing will appear at the next boot sale I go to for 50p?

Anyhoo, last Saturday one of the first things I found was a watercolour painting and I went on to find several more and ended up bringing home three pictures altogether. I really loved this watercolour of thatched cottages along a village street. This could be one of my fave pictures ever and it only cost £3.

A second watercolour came from a middle aged man selling several watercolours painted by his aunt who exhibited on a regular basis at a local gallery in a posh town not far from me. I bought this one of a local country hall and the artist had copied a much older painting of the hall from several hundred years previously.

I've been in this Hall as its open to the general public and its a pleasant place to visit.

I should have taken a close up of this one as in the foreground there are figures mowing the lawns with sythes, ladies on horseback, a cat chasing geese and a dog chasing the cat. This was £3 but that also included a smaller oil painting by the same artist.I'm looking forward to finding a new frame and mount for this one as paintings always look much better with a proper mount.

I did spot several more watercolours. An interesting one of a harbour, one of Angelsey and one of a group of harvesters in the late evening. I dithered over them but decided to stick with what I'd got.

Hmmm, what else did I buy? Oh yes there was a lady with a huge 4x4 selling off designer goods Dior, Jaeger etc and the crowds were gathered around looking for bargains. I briefly toyed with buying two pairs of Dior shoes for a fiver but decided they were too pointed and I'd either snap off my toes or break my neck.

I did buy two bottles of perfume to use on an everyday basis for £4. The Versace Blue Jeans is for the DH and (don't laugh now) Paris Hilton is for me. Actually it's quite nice, well the dogs don't complain when I'm wearing it.

Lastly, I rescued another bullie beanie baby for 50p. I've got about 7 of these now and thinking of starting my own welfare society for abandoned and unwanted beanies. One look of those sad beseeching eyes and I'm handing over my money.

Next post I'll show you my wardrobe challenge update. Yes I know, I said I didn't need more clothes and would stop at £50 but honest these were nice things and I failed to resist the bargain. Besides, its nearly the end of Boot Sale season and there's going to be a dearth of bargains til next year.