Saturday, 25 February 2012

Charity Shop Bingo




Bingo.  Favoured hobby of the blue rinse brigade in it's usual form although I play it a little differently and always have a mental bingo card of treasures I need to unearth in a charity shop sooner or later.  Vintage china is a constant - it's almost a religion for me - the pretty floral teacups, stately teapots and stacks of mismatched plates, but there are other tea-related goodies that seem to crop up far less often making it all the more special when they do.  Russian tea glasses definitely fall into that bracket! I've no idea whether this particular pair are actually Russian or when they were made but I can tell you that I did an involuntary happy dance (luckily not in full view of the counter!) and mentally shouted 'bingo' when these appeared on the shelves. Prior to finding mine I'd actually never come across them in any antique shop, charity shop, or flea market I'd ever visited and had begun to doubt their existence outside of gorgeous pictures on the web and the set my grandparents used to have.  Though now I'm thinking about it . . . . .  didn't the White Witch have some in the Narnia BBC series?  I feel some investigative googling coming on!  Waffling aside, they were 50 pence for the pair! 



Anyone who has been bitten by the horse bug will probably agree that a love of horses never leaves you,     some of my other bingo-worthy buys recently were pony stories published in 1960.  At 26 you'd think I'd have grown out of pony stories by now but it seems there is as much chance of that happening as there is of roping a parliament of owls together and flying to a tea party on the moon.  Anyway . . . . the Ashbourne branch of Cancer Research often have a great, varied selection of vintage books and I've picked up some stunning editions of old favourites as well as some totally kitsch titles I'd never have thought to pick up otherwise.  Was really pleased to hand over £3 for this pair of pony books.


Next up . . . round silvery, pretty things of no specific purpose. Know what these are for? Answers on a postcard my lovelies! I've decided for the moment that they're going to serve as bottle glamourisers (definitely not a word but I like it!) or bangle holders.  Silver-coloured shiny things for £1.50 felt like a fair deal!


I've been busy on the vintage hunting front of late - for my own collection and for my fledgling Etsy shop here (take a peek!) but I'll have to split the other discoveries to avoid boring you to death with an endless post.  Pop over to Flea Market Finds for more thrifty vintage gorgeousness.

Hope you're all having a relaxing (or adrenaline and excitement filled if that's your bag) weekend ❥



Also linking to: Thrift Share Monday and Magpie Monday

24 comments :

  1. So want some of those Russian tea Glasses!they're so so nice and i've been googling since I saw them here! Not sure on the round bottley holder things but I think they look great as bottle cosies. x

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  2. You got some wonderful things! When I was in England 7 years ago, my friend took me around to the charity shops...I had never heard of a shop specific to one charity before, at that time...(here we had Goodwill, etc.)...Now we have them in this area, though (mid-South, US) ~ my fav, in fact, is a thrift shop that benefits a local no-kill animal shelter. Anyway,
    I have just discovered your lovely blog, and am a new follower!

    Anne

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  3. Fabulous finds! Especially like the books. Its always great when you find something you have (secretly) been hoping to come across - well done!
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  4. Beautiful finds! I covet the cups!

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  5. Such beautiful finds Jem! And yes the Russian style cups definitely remind me of those from Narnia :) I finally tried lavender earl grey, very nice <3 xx

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  6. Just stumbled upon your blog through Flea Market Finds - you have a great blog and I'm really liking your photos and styling, you should do more styled/home style posts as you do it well when you do!

    Now following through Bloglovin'

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  7. Love what you've found, as a tea drinker - those Russian tea cups are just amazing!

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  8. I think they are bottle glamourisers aren't they? Drip catches or whatever they're called. They're certainly very pretty, as are your other lovely finds. I can't resist vintage horsey books either - did you read the 'Jill' books growing up? I have my mum's 50s copies but they're falling apart as we both read them so often.

    ***Faith Hope and Charity Shopping first blogiversary giveaway open now***

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  9. yep yep, those tea glasses are indeed pretty awesome :)

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  10. What great finds! I like the Russian tea glasses/cups :)

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  11. I've never tried lavender earl grey, it's something I'm def going to try out. Loving these little cups

    Abbi xx

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  12. I think your silver dish thingies are jam jar holders to put your jam in when you take the jar to the table.
    Love from Mum
    xx

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  13. I'd love some of those Russian tea holders for my own 'moments of calm'. I favour cherry and cinnamon.

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  14. Pony stories! Oh, how I miss them. My childhood was absolutely full of them, I wish I could hunt some down now!

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  15. I'd guess the silver things are for standing bottles on too. The Russian are very pretty - Narnia-inspired most definitely!
    I have a mental list of sought-after items - I'll think of bingo now! Agree that you never really grow out of horses once you've been bitten by the bug.

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  16. Such wonderful finds, I must admit I’ve not been on a charity shop rummage for a while, but I’m itching to unearth a bargain sometime soon. I can relate to the bingo feeling, especially that moment when you hit jackpot, literally.
    Jem you are never too old for pony stories xxx

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  17. such gorgeous finds....although the contents of the russian tea glasses made me want some tea! which then meant I wanted cake to go with it too!

    I'm the same with books about Ballet....I think those hobbies you do as a child don't really ever leave you, and if you're a reader, then books on said subject are always going to be a great window into such nostalgia!

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  18. It looks like you had some good finds recently. I do love thrifty shopping, you never know what you're going to come home with!
    R xx

    http://rebecca-daydreambeliever.blogspot.com/

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  19. You have certainly been lucky, I liked the tea glasses, and I'm almost certaily sure that the silver things are wine bottle coasters. Good find.

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  20. Have you changed your blog header? I like :0)

    Fabulous buys - bingo indeed!

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  21. I remember when I was a child I had a tea glasses like those, love the silver bits too xx

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  22. Jem, you've really got a lovely eye for such pretty things!

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  23. Defo Bingo! I love the buzz you get when you find something you've been after for ages at the CS - and i'll be even more lightheaded paying 50p!! Brilliant finds hun :o) Scarlett x

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  24. Gorgeous sparkly finds! coincidentally i've been eyeing the russian glass since my in laws served me with those when we came over but so far no luck finding it in my local CS, i do loveee the vintage books you got too, i have a think for horses just because they say i was born in a year of a horse says chinese horoscopes hahaha, I like the word bottle glamourisers hehe but they look gorgeous to put bottles on or bangles! such bargains and yes Definitely BINGO! xx susan

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