Hunter Gatherer

I decided last week that I had to go to a jumble sale. Every other blog or Flickr photo I've looked at, has been showing fantastic stuff that everyone has been buying for pennies at yard sales and thrift shops. Here in the UK, we have car boot sales and charity shops, and, of course, jumble sales.

I used to go to jumble sales every Saturday. I'd look at the newspaper, and work out an itinerary for the day. If I went to one at 10am, I could probably just make it to that other one at 10.30. Then there might be a couple at 2pm and 2.30, and I would rush from one to the other. You had to get there early, as the keen punters would queue at the door, and burst in as soon as it opened - every woman for herself. Elbows were used judiciously - jumbling was a contact sport. Some people carried weapons - an umbrella or a shopping trolley could be pretty vicious in the wrong hands. But I could be as rough and tough as the best of them.

But in recent years, jumble sales have declined. There are more car boot sales, and a lot of people just give their spare stuff to charity shops. So it was actually quite hard to find a jumble sale on Saturday. The only one I could find was in Yate, right over the other side of the city. Was I being completely bonkers, going all that way, to dig about in old tat in a village hall? Well, probably, but I was going to do it anyway.

I'm so glad I did! Not that I found any special treasure, but I thoroughly enjoyed myself. And then I went round the local charity shops as well. So here's my haul, to go on display next to all you other yard salers, thrifters, and rummagers.
I picked up a little fabric bag, which I thought had a nice pattern, and when I got it home, I was pleased to discover it had a Cath Kidston label. The thing with the big rose is a vintage apron, which is rather lovely. Not sure about the Welsh tea towel, but it made me smile. And I must be able to think of something cool to make with those magnetic letters. There were a few more textiles, which you can't see in the picture - scarves and a tablecloth.

Then today, I had to go out, and I was passing a Chinese supermarket. It's a new one I hadn't been to, so I had to go in. And then, once I was in there, well, it would have been rude not to buy anything...
I bought about three times as much as this, but I thought I'd just photograph the pretty packaging. (Hello Kitty!!)