Catch-up, chickens, carpet bowls and bargains.....

Here I am again....at last :o)  I hope that life is FINALLY back on the right track again now (fingers crossed).  From the 1st of June until 1st July I have attended the Doctors or Hospital 16 times with either my Husband, Mom or myself :o(  So I'm so glad to be blogging again :o)

I've had plenty of time to think what to feature (lol) and I've decided to show you my carpet bowls, a collection started by my Daughter buying me some as a gift.

I got the lovely old basket last week for £2 from my usual charity shop - before that they were in various dishes about the conservatory..

As you may guess a large majority of them are blue and white!  None are old or antique, but I love them anyway :o)  I'm pretty sure that they were around in Victorian times and really used for indoor 'Carpet Bowls'  The only real antique ones I've seen were way out of my pocket though.  I suppose I've made this collection over about the last five or six years.

Then, I had a look around and remembered all of those great Roosters that our American cousins love so much; and realised that I'd got a few too :o)  With the exception of the Rooster they are all in the kitchen...

(sorry, a little blurred)

The four large ones are on top of my wall cupboards.

The smaller brown one is Portmerion Oven to Tableware, a gift from my Sister in Law.

The blue glass one was purchased many years ago from a shop in Camelford when we stopped off on the way to a Cornish holiday.

The White one was a parting gift from my best friend when she left for Australia about 19 years ago.  It was kept very busy on her kitchen surface filled with eggs as she made the most astonishing birthday cakes.  (Thanks Lyn - still miss you)

The old brown one is a family piece that I've known all my life, first at my Nan's and after she died it lived with us at home.  Mom gave it to me just after we married and set up home, I too used it for my eggs for some years but moved it up to the wall cupboards to keep it safe.  The smaller ones are kept on a window sill with my cobalt glass

Sadly I broke the tiny ones' base when cleaning one day....still on the look out for a replacement ;o)

Here's the 'flock' together!

I LOVE the rooster!  I found him in a charity shop a couple of years ago, and he only cost a couple of pounds.  He stands about 18 inches high.

A close up of my 'family' chook!  Lovely old amber glass - I suspect it is a Victorian original.  It has a few chips on the base...but hey I'm a bit battered too and I'm not nearly as old!

And my lovely white chook.

This was found yesterday, just thought it's great. (50p) 

(Sorry Sandy - just couldn't part with it!)

Hey ducky!  I found this today in the charity shop.  He's about 16 inches long and 13 high.  It took my eye and cost £4.  I love (real) ducks too, but this one is my first...Oh no! Not another collection.

The damask fabric I've used as the background was purchased from a charity shop in Market Drayton earlier this week - there's about 6 yards of 60inch width upholstery weight with the price tag of £2, yes this REALLY was a bargain.  (I may pass it on to my daughter who makes a lot of costumes) .

Here's a few of the things that I've got over the weeks that I haven't been posting...still had my 'therapy time' in the charity shops!  (Will add a few more to my next post).

A silk orchid plant in a heavy urn - very life like for £1.99.

I have quite a few real orchids, but I find that they are only happy in our guest room and study.  I can put this one anywhere I fancy :o)

Just couldn't leave this 'bird cage' behind!  Would you?  the price tag was £1.99.  It stands about 18 inches high.  Here's what I did with it......

Okay, I own up to a weird sense of humour!  Thought feathers and a cat was a little wacky LOL!

(I did think of sticking a few little feathers around the cats mouth, but decided against it.....)

Okay, a little strange and random I know - a rabbit head.  It looks like it was probably a lid from a tea pot.  I went on another trip to Dagfields about a month ago and found it there, who knows why but I liked it!  £2  http://www.dagfields.co.uk/
It'll come in with the Easter bunnies next year.

A couple of gold glass beaded  candle shades I got on Thursday from a Stafford charity shop.  They were complete with the candle holders (but I don't like them) a fortune at 90p the pair!

A wasp trap - just needs a big bung for the top.  (My husband has a bad reaction to wasp stings, so I thought this was sensible).  Another Market Drayton bargain £2.

Here we have almost a full set of Elkintons silver plate flatware - someone beat me to the teaspoons and for some reason there's only 5 each of the dinner and desert forks.  After a quick clean by soaking them on a sheet of aluminium foil with washing soda crystals sprinkled on and boiling water added the chemocal reaction removes all the tarnish - NO RUBBING!  I got them today for a total cost of £11.  Still a bargain I thought though.

I can see these making an appearance at our next dinner party!  (Sometime this month)

Lovely paper lanterns (x5) all unused and waiting for me!  £3.50  3 x blue and 2 x white ones.

Now, this is a great extravagance for me.  A cream with gold pin stripes Wedgwood table lamp with a duck egg blue shade.  £25 (!)  I don't even know where I'm going to use it yet - just had to have it though.  Classy eh?

And Finally!  Something I didn't find - My Mom did.  The most FANTASTIC recycling I've ever seen :o) An old fashioned copper washing 'posher' made into a table lamp - how inventive..I just had to rewire it and find a shade. (Lamp, £8 from a local antique shop, shade £2.50 from my Market Drayton haul).

I hope you've enjoyed this extra long post as I've tried to 'catch-up' a little with you all.  Thank you for sticking with me, I'll try to keep up with the blog again.  Please leave your comments - I read and appreciate every single one of them.  Oh! Welcome to the new followers - great to meet you :o)

Very best wishes to you all.

P.S.  Happy 4th July to all American readers :o)