I spent half an hour, by myself, wondering around the charity shops in our local town yesterday and came away with a selection of beautiful green objects. The first and I think maybe my favourite thrifty buy ever was this painting of a vase of fuchsias.
It is oil on canvas, glued onto board and framed by pine 2x4. It had an exhibition number on the bottom right corner (112) but isn't signed. It was in the sale and cost me £2.00 instead of the previous £4.50 price tag, which I find quite sad. I love the texture and the colours and it makes me feel peaceful gazing into it. It suggests, to me, a warm summers afternoon lunch, in an orchard, a table laid with a linen cloth and a hastily gathered vase of flowers. It is hanging now in a corner of my kitchen along with a valuable painting by a Cornish artist that I was given many years ago and a painting of Sam's, created at an outside art day last summer. They compliment each other beautifully and I love the juxtaposition of 'real art' with a thrift shop find and my child's painting.
I was also lucky enough to find this sweet green tinted tea-pot...
It is perfect and undamaged, apart from some wear to the gilding on the handle which I love for the history it brings. How many pots of tea have been brewed in this tubby little pot? How many other hands have gripped that handle in just the same place, rubbing away a little of its shine each time?
My final purchase was this flowery, cotton sheet. It is slightly worn in the centre, so I might just cut it up and use the fabric or maybe I will adorn it with a huge patch and use it on our bed, I am not decided yet. I had to show you this image of it hanging in the sun earlier, can you spot the real little bird on the guttering? I think it is admiring my bird shape pegs!
Before I go this seems a perfect opportunity to show you another green thrifty item I found a couple of weeks ago.
Up until I spotted it, I had no idea what a hole there was in my life without the addition of a cucumber shaped serving dish. Daily use since has proved how much we were missing out - who'd have thought? I have pictures of my crochet project and my indigo spinning to show you next and then I will tackle the long list of questions you have been kind enough to ask me, so if you are quick you might be able to squeeze in a few more.....