Unavailable in Brown Thomas

or T K Maxx or anywhere except the Limerick Animal Welfare charity shop on Parnell Street is this wonderful tablecloth which is hand embroidered in a colourful, idiosyncratic stylethat must have taken ages.  The only thing is it's almost too lovely to use and I make no apologies for posting all the photographs of the details of this beautiful object.

A little piece of 1970

I seem to be on a bit of a 70's vibe at the moment - the string picture I posted recently was gone but today I got this embroidered picture - more embroidery.  But look at it!  The subject, the colours, the polyester or nylon wool, the hessian backing, the style all scream 70's and I couldn't leave it behind.  It didn't fit into the top box so was carted home fastened to the bike by two ties. 

I love the way whoever made it has run out of wool for some sections and carried on in a slightly different colour and yes, the dove does look a little strange but who cares? This is handmade and maybe 40 years old



A buying frenzy in God's Own Country

Maybe it's the time of the month or the phase of the moon or maybe I've just been lucky but several delights have come my way recently. 

The ever reliable Limerick Animal Welfare shop provided me with my first pair of summer sandals - a gorgeous pair of Kickers which I got for less than 1/10th of the new purchase price and which will see me through winter methinks with a pair of tights.

And then for the household I also found this old glass dish of the kind which I think was used in the 50's or maybe even earlier by ladies for keeping pins and clips on their dressing tables which is where this one will live when it's not being photographed on mossy, ivy covered walls

I love old glass like this, far preferable to plastic for keeping my treasures in.

And lastly another old treasure and informative to boot.  Did you know Cork looked like this?

Me neither.  But it does according to my new tea towel, 'Ireland, God's Own Country' which also includes a map of Ireland and artist impressions of several other famous Irish places.  I have of course taken a close up of the section featuring Limerick and helpfully highlighted two other places where excellent charity shops are to be found:-

For those of you unfamiliar with Ireland or maybe planning a tour here is the whole map reproduced in full.  I'm now entertaining a small notion to use the remaining 6 weeks of my summer holiday to sniff out charity shops in every location on this tea towel using my trusty velocipede Corky*.  I know for a fact there are none in Castletownbere or Glengariff.  Shame as they're lovely parts of Ireland and would I suspect have top notch goodies due to the largesse of the local inhabitants.

* my trusty velocipde Corky



Something I wish I'd bought

I photographed this lovely gold and red string butterfly intending to just put it on this blog as a memory of those nail and string pictures that were so popular in the 70's (along with all the Spanish bullfighting paraphernalia). 

When I got home and looked at my photos I realised with a pang I should have bought it.  The colours and ripe 70's style would match my landing decor perfectly - of which more in the next post.

Mark my words though, the day of the string picture is nigh and if it's still there when I go in next it's coming home this time.

The dog gets a new home ...

I nearly didn't buy anything from the charity shops last Saturday until a last look in the Limerick Animal Welfare furniture shop turned up (rather appropriately) this homeless dog ....

For €1 I couldn't help myself so I brought him/her home, renovated the frame and plan to give him/her a new home on the landing.  I wonder who he or she was - obviously someone's pride and joy once.  

I love the photograph, the little red eyes and the feeling that he or she was probably a bit of a yappy dog who might jump up and bite you from that position.  Add the linoleum floor, kitchen chair, pink jacket, table cloth and strange perspective and I'm thinking Nan Goldin except of course there are no tits or fags in the shot.  Oh meow!

Now when I say I nearly didn't buy anything I mean of course that I didn't buy any major clothing articles.  BUT I did get a great book on jewellery making and a  really soft, colourful scarf which given the Limerick June weather and the fact that I'm a 'perished aul creatur' * at the best of times I've been wearing since I bought it.

*  always cold

Saturday delights

Shop:  Limerick Animal Welfare (aka my habitual fix)
Location:  Parnell Street, Limerick

Delights:

ASOS dress

Price:  €5

I see black tights and teal brogues ...

A little number from Principles Petite, nothing special but just the thing for when the sunny days come back over a little skirt or shorts 

AND TODAY'S WINNER IS ...

My penchant for granny chic distresses me sometimes but how could I let this gorgeous vintage Aran waistcoat pass me by?

THE ONES THAT GOT AWAY

Sometimes alas the finances or lifestyle don't permit me to give good homes to everything I love.  These were today's escapees:-

Original K Clark's shoes, possibly in my size (I didn't try them on for fear that I would buy them) but the heel height means I'll probably never wear them and a lovely old blanket ...

THE UNEXPECTED

These did come home.  And check out the "By appointment to her Majesty Queen Mary" on Newey's World Famed Hooks and Eyes.  That is the delight of charity shopping!