Sunday 16 March 2014

Walking on sunshine


It's been a very busy weekend, but a good one.

The vexed (but not really) question of what to wear for our jumble sale was easily solved; I always wear red, for the brightness, the joy, and the luck.



Previous jumble outfits...


Now obviously, I am not daft enough to believe that what I wear has any impact on the outcome of a fundraising community event.

But I will take the credit for some hard work, good planning and preparation, and I am delighted to report that our jumble sale was well attended, cheerful, and successful, raising a whopping £1100.


Eldest is a chip off the old block and always helps out.

 I made cakes, lots of cakes.

And as usual, I loaned my vintage tablecloths, aprons, headscarves and crockery.


A sunny but very blustery day today has provided ideal drying conditions for all the vintage linens.



Look at my fabulous friends Trace and Joanne, wearing colourful vintage and pulling ridiculous faces. How I love those girls!

That bonkers wig looks worryingly like my hair in the 1980s...



1970s cotton dress - Vintedge (local vintage shop)
Cardigan, belt, sunglasses, bangles and tights - charity shopped
Boots - retail (sale)


Another jumble sale tradition is that once the clearing up is done, a group of us head back to Karen's (who lives the closest to school) for a count-up of the proceeds, accompanied by the odd glass or two of something fizzy.

This practice might make for some dodgy accountancy, but Eldest was there to keep us on track. She's more responsible than the rest of us put together.




Apologies for the scaffolding; my neighbour is having work done on his house, and while there is no problem with that, it makes the background of my usual photo location a little too busy. Doesn't he realise my tree is my posing spot?




  So it's been a great weekend, I'm really proud that our little group manages to organise events that make money and are fun to attend.

I bought bits and bobs for the kids, not much for myself, but I was taken with this;




an old supermarket basket that someone had brought their jumble donations in, and left behind. It took me back immediately to my childhood, so I nabbed it, and used it to cart my washing outside.





Next-door-Caspar took a shine to it too.




Reservoir Cats.




Whatever you've been up to, I hope you had a fabulous weekend.

xxxx

46 comments:

Asparagus Pea said...

Our odd sock basket is an old wire supermarket basket filched from somewhere a long time ago (not by me - obvs). Well done on the fundraising - that's an impressive amount. Crack open the bubbly x

Mrs Bertimus said...

What a beautiful basket!
Your jumble looks like the best one in the whole land!
Well done!
X

Sarah Jane said...

Dodgy accounting, ha ha. I do love the red and purple combination. I would say your clothes and demenaour definitely have an impact on takings. I'm always so wary of lending out my vintage bits and bobs as props for events in case I don't get them back but I suppose if you're in charge that's pretty much taken care of. Love the supermarket basket. I'd like to think it was stolen by a batty old lady from a Kwik Save in the eighties! xxx

PS. Eldest definitely is a chip off the old block :)

Kezzie said...

Oooh, she does look like you! Love the headscarves too!
What a pretty dress, you look fab!!! I can't help but feel you look more young, the longer you blog! Well done on the fundraising!x

Miss Magpie said...

Oh I love the shopping basket, I'd have taken that home with me too. I'm glad the jumble sale went so well.

Sheila said...

That looks so fun! I would have bought many cake, yum! You look awesome in short skirts, Curtisse - such gorgeous gams you have!

Vix said...

Absolutely splendid fund raising there, what a result! Must have been some quality jumble to achieve four figures.
That red dress is gorgeous as are you. Trace's dress needs to be in my wardrobe and Joanne's hair is definitely the red version of my blonde spiral perm.
Thank goodness for Eldest and her sensible ways, I can just imagine you lot half cut and counting the takings.
Reservoir cats are brilliant and the supermarket basket a find and a half. Haven't seen one of those in years!
Neighbour's been having work done for months, what on earth is it?
Love you! xxxxxx

Vix said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mother of Reinvention said...

Such a lovely outfit and brilliant to se you raised so much money. So nice to see real cakes at your jumble. They used to have a ban on them at Sprogzilla's old school and you had to bring horrible shop bought ones in instead. Not the same :(

Jayne H said...

Blimey, that's some impressive fundraising for a jumble sale - good on you all for a fantastic effort.

Helga said...

Oooo, MEOW!!! I love a bit of kitty porn....I also LOVE that frock!!! Spots, a ruffle, RED-can't go wrong!!! I reckon red is a lucky colour too, dammit.
YAY for it all going well, lots of money being made, and a few drinkies to celebrate another success story!
Trace and Joanne look like a couple of likely lasses, I wouldn't mind a few drinkies with them, especially if Joanne takes to wearing that awesome mad wig full time!!!
You fecking ROCK!
Loving you! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Diane said...

Thata's an amazing total for a jumble sale!!

Patti said...

Very well done, y'all (still country from my previous outfit). That's a great take, and I bet your cakes were top sellers. Love the basket, esp with Casper inside, and love your cheery frock too. xox

Fiona said...

Any jumble sale organsed by you was bound to be a good one but I reckon you have excelled yourselves with that total. No wonder a celebratory drink was required during all that counting. Fab photo's btw and don't you look splendidly gorgeous...love the pic of you and eldest. I have serious frock envy, love a bit of red and that dress is very much my tasse de the. The wire shopping basket was a fab score, I bet Caspar gave it a good old sniff. Have a great week.
xx

Becky said...

You look great---can't believe your posing tree is unavailable!! Wish I could of come to the jumble sale!

Beth Waltz said...

Real cakes! Lots of them! Our cake sales here in the states tend to come out of m-i-x-e-s. Worse yet, they're frosting free, gluten free, fat free and taste free.

Cats are connoisseurs of baskets: one can see Caspar approves your good taste.

thorne garnet said...

Man, thug cats! Stay out of their way!

Yeah for all the $$$$ you made!

Shawna McComber said...

What a fun post! I wish I could have come to the jumble sale. You look great in your outfit. Red is my special colour too and I have an upcoming post about it. Your pictures are fabulous, as always.

Olga Rani said...

What beautiful linens you own, such a variety of lovely prints! The cakes look delicious and you look great in your red dress. Love that photo with two running cats!

Angels have Red Hair said...

I've always hesitated about wearing red … being a redhead and all … but seeing you in these fab outfits has totally changed my mind. I'm off to find myself the reddest dress I can lay my hands on.
Oh and that bonkers wig looks worryingly like my hair circa early 1990's. We really should compare old photos ;0)
xx

Kylie said...

Wow! You ladies (and eldest) raised such a lot of dosh. That's ace Curtise (speaking of ace, that's exactly what you look like in your lovely 70's frock) x

Natalia Lialina said...

Curtise, you look so cute in your outfit! I love the photo of you and your adorable daughter - you look happy! Love seeing your smile! Such events can be so meaningful, and yours obviously was, which is no wonder if you and your friends were in charge!
I adore your collection of vintage linens, and the photos of them drying in the sun are just so fun and creative! I have a few table clothes from old days, I'd love to show them some time too. :)

Peaches McGinty said...

Cafe Carfield looks perfect! congrats on the whopping amount of money, what a result! all your hard work (including the awesome gals!) paid off big! red is a a winning colour, you are gorgeous in red - and how I wanted my perms to look like that, I have such perm envy now! and I LOVE reservoir cats!
p.s. a big yes to March 3rd! x x x

Melanie said...

Cute jumble outfit Curtise :)
Well done on the profits, that's impressive! And all those cakes! Yum. I had such a craving for Swiss Roll yesterday I nipped into M&S and came out with two!

Melancholy and Menace said...

Well done on raising such a great amount at your jumble.

I love al your pictures, the one of yourself and your daughter is deifnitely frameable :)

The supermarket basket. I would never have thought of using that for laundry, what a great idea.

Loving the Reservoir cats :)

Enjoy your week xx

Emma Kate at Paint and Style said...

£1100 is a fantastic amount. Well done to you! The little shopping basket is delightful. I hadn't really noticed that they'd changed to solid plastic nowadays.
I hope you get to put your feet up now the jumble sale is over and the washing is on the line. xxxx

Unknown said...

Happy that all worked out for the jumble sale!

Can't get over all the greenery on your side of the planet - We are still freezing our behinds here!

Have a great Monday!

Arianexo

mondoagogo said...

No one seems to have jumble sales in London anymore, it's all posh (expensive) vintage pop-ups or baby clothes table-top sales, you'd think in these times of austerity and low money that there would be more jumbles across the country!

I'm joining everyone in coveting that basket, I've been looking for one just like that to keep magazines in! I've almost been tempted to just nick one from a supermarket (some still use them) but none of them are as nice as yours. Love that cheerful tea towel with the dancing folk on, as well.

(also, are you still having problems leaving comments on my blog? I don't know how to fix that, cos I don't know if it's affecting anyone else, but maybe try clearing the cookies for it? that often works)

freckleface said...

Whoever said redheads can't wear red needs to see you in this frock, looking 100% gorgeous. Well done on your fundraising, that is really impressive, and a testament to all your hard work. Fizzy is a fitting reward. I love you and eldest as land girls, not at all your normal look but actually really suits you. Now, there's a few things i'm coveting (apart from the cakes). First up the basket, put me on the list, and secondly that piece of linen top left, blue with peeps on. What on earth is that piece of deliciousness? Xxxxx

Forest City Fashionista said...

Sheena, Queen of the Jumble, you are! And to think you were worried that it wouldn't go well. I think wearing a bright colour definitely has a positive effect; I would come over to talk to you and probably buy something too. Great shot of you and Eldest channelling your inner Rosie the Riveter.

Your daughter is a chip off the old block, and it made me laugh to think that she was keeping order while you and your mates were getting a bit sloshed.

"Reservoir Cats" = brilliant!

Unknown said...

oh how i love you! Your style, your red dresses at jumbles, your energy, your spirit, your fun soul! you are making we want to start shiny t tuesday up again! xxxxxxxx

Linda said...

Brilliant that you raised so much cash! the red dress did the trick!

Señora Allnut said...

red and purple never look so beautiful and lucky!!, love your dress and glad you were successful and have fun!!, and your Reservoir Cats put a smile on my face!!, mwahaha!
besos

silvergirl said...

I am in love with that red white and blue striped skirt you are sporting!!
Brett

Connie said...

They say that red brings in money which is why I carry a red wallet. I keep hoping that some day I will open it up and it will be filled with cash. Though the red definitely works for you! You always look so pulled together. How nice that Eldest is keeping you in line. Adorable little fish face.

Sue said...

Cake stalls are the best at Galas, and TOF always requests I bring some home baking home. Love your red dress with its spots and ruffle, you always look so good. Trust the cat to find your new to you basket, they always claim any new thing to sleep in. I too was rocking a similar hair style in the 80s curtosy of a home perm!! Dam neighbor buggering up your posing tree.

Vintage Bird Girl said...

What a wonderful combo my lady in red! I'm sure the sight of you in that dress makes the money flow at the jumble sale. Xx

Unknown said...

Love that you have jumble traditions -of course a red outfit will bring luck! And such a gorgeous dress must bring extra luck and lots of money! I'm pretty sure that bubbly helps counting - doesn't it help everything? Those cake look really yummy by the way. XXX

Pull Your Socks Up! said...

You and Eldest are a gobsmackingly gorgeous pair!!! Look at those gorgeous, cheeky faces :). I'm applauding your jumble efforts Curtise and happy to hear that Eldest has had the finest training in keeping Mum upright when it's required. 1100 squids is an enormous wad of cash to raise, you are the BEST woman for the job that's for sure, with your gorgeous red and purple frockage, crockery and tablecloths and CAKES!! Gosh have a sit down now will you? I went hurtling back 40-odd years at the sight of your shopping/laundry basket, what a blast from the past. Reservoir Cats - oh yes they are and don't mess with! "What? It's my basket get orrrf!" So happy the day went so well and such sunny skies:) xoxoxoxo

The Style Crone said...

Congratulations on a highly successful jumble sale. But then I'm not surprised. Perhaps your red ensemble does affect the outcome!

Love the photos of your friends, and of course, the pic of you and Eldest.

I know how you feel about your posting spot, which is sacred in the life of a blogger. Hope it returns to normal soon!

at my dressingtable said...

WOW!!! , well done on your jumble sale total ,what clever ladies you are, I wished I went to your jumble sale it look great!,
Red really suits you once again I love your outfit.
Have a good week best wishes x.

sonia said...

Love that dress and cardie! Adorable! And I love the hair wrap. Big fan of hair wraps here! So cute...

The Small Fabric Of My Life said...

I love the colours in your outfits.
Your photo with your daughter is fabulous - you are both such great characters.

Flora Cruft said...

Well done for commandeering a corker of a jumble sale! Those cakes look utterly scrumptious you gorgeous domestic goddess in red, and congratulations on making a fabulous profit!

mispapelicos said...

Fabulous in that red dress, dear Curtise.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Veshoevius said...

Love the combination of the purple and red here - just the zingy thing to ring in spring. Congrats on the super result at the fundraiser!