Sunday 22 March 2015

Swan Song


It's that time of year again; our annual school jumble sale was held on Saturday, and another fine event it was too.

It wouldn't be the same if we didn't dress up in vintage housecoats, pinnies and scarves, bright colours, and maybe a wig or two.

Here I am with my buddies Trace, Karen and Joanne, and Claudia too, who is a junior member of the Jumble Sisterhood. She always helps, and likes to listen to the traditional debrief held round at Karen's house afterwards, which gets louder, sillier and more scurrilous as the prosecco goes down...

We call it the PJP; Post-Jumble Piss-Up, best part of the day!

Claudia wants you to know she's not wild about Harry.


1970s Indian cotton wrap maxi skirt, shoes, necklace and bangles - charity shopped
Vest and sequin top - jumble sale

We made £1,130, and we're delighted with that.

It may well be the last jumble we organise, so it was good to go out on a high. I've been helping to plan and run fund-raising events at school for the last five years, and I think I've reached my limit.

Time to move on and leave the new members of the PTA to do things their way. 


I did buy some bits and bobs at the jumble sale, various clothes for the kids, and these for me;

1960-70s Nimbus design fabric by Osman textiles
mad-eyed Dutch souvenir dolls 
1960s pink wool blanket
1960s tapestry and vinyl shopper
1970s Sadler pot


After a full-on day yesterday, it was good to do very little today. Reading in the bath in the afternoon is one of life's small pleasures. 

So is linking up with Patti for Visible Monday - come and join us!

I hope your weekend has been successful, whatever you've been doing.

xxxx

48 comments:

Mother of Reinvention said...

Who says that redheads can"t wear red? You look ravishing en rouge. Loving the colourful outfits for the jumble sale. You can't beat a good one and they are so rare these days. Too much eBay. Glad that you lovely ladies had such a good day, and raised so much money. xxxx

Mother of Reinvention said...

OOOh first! Go me!! :) xx

Fiona said...

Wish my weekend had been half as exciting as yours, sadly it involved night shifts and an abundance of snot. TMI???
Great scores at the jumble, loving the Sadler pot, fabric and proper blanket. Good for Claudia, would love to know who she does rate though? Superb block printed maxi... got your thermals on underneath or is it the Prosecco that's keeping you warm? xxxxxxx

Ivy Black said...

That is indeed a fine jumble and I wish I'd been there. A bloody good jumble is a rare thing these days. What a brilliant amount to raise and done with such flair!
I'd have defo bought that rather miserable looking doll for the Shelf.
Love that maxi and the Sadler pot, and you can't beat a proper old blanket.
Have a fab week.
Loves ya.
XXXXX

Helga said...

Yay, carboots and annula jumbles are BACK!
Bloody love your Indian skirt, it's just GORGEOUS!
I'm very pleased that Claudia has better taste than to fancy that dickhead! Stands to reason.
The pot and the bag are my favourites of your buys.I'm blown away with the money you raised! Huzzah!
We have no bathtub, but I do enjoy a good long soak with a book when I can get myself into one!
Love! XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kezzie said...

Amazing skirt! I love it! Love the landgirls in skirts goes psychadelic look you have going on there! Sounds fun and you have done loads for the PTA- all our mums and nans who have been doing it since I was at the school left last year or this year, not sure what we'll do without them!!
I LOVE reading in the bath! Definitely a favourite thing to do!x

Miss Magpie said...

You look bloody fabulous in your frock and pinny but I am going to have serious nightmares now I've looked at that doll!

Connie said...

Such a groovy bohemian outfit. And you look very pretty with a kerchief on your head. I remember those jumble sales well. Around here they were pretty much a good place to dump excess beanie babies. Yours looks like a ton of fun.

Sarah Jane said...

Great stuff. I thought you might have snapped up those orange flasks though! I'm sure the fundraising events will be a lot less colourful and interesting without your input. Xxx

P.S. Tell Claudia she's a girl of good taste :)

Goody said...

Leaving on a high note is always good. Don't be too shocked if after a few sales you're recruited to return though.

The bangle and skirt are made for each other-and that tapestry shopper is so nice.

Not Harry, huh? Well if he wasn't good enough for Taylor Swift he sure isn't good enough for Claudia!



Kylie said...

I was a bit worried when I saw the title of this post Curtise - relieved to see you're talking jumble not blogging!!!
I love that snap of you and Claudia x

Patti said...

You women are so generous with your time and talents - and you look delicious in your retro outfits. Love, love the wrap maxi you're wearing - I had a similar but it doesn't seem to have made it to our condo. That tapestry bag is very very cool as well. Thanks for linking up to Vis Mon, xox.

Beth Waltz said...

The sequin bolero is absolutely perfect for the Indian maxi skirt: this ensemble deserves an outing to an Indian restaurant with a menu! (Here in the Midwest 'menu' means 'posh'.)

Congratulations on the success of the Last Grand Jumble, Curtise. It's no surprise to see that you and your cohorts made a hard job a pleasant event, landgirl scarves neatly tied.

thorne garnet said...

pretty skirt. I not a fan of wrap skirts, they always seem to fall open at the wrong times. On me anyways.

3 Cheers to a successful rummage sale!

Suzanne said...

Wow! Impressive on the sales earnings! Can you come and do a garage sale for me?

Loved your outfits for the sale. Looks like it was fun.

That tapestry bag has me drooling. LOVE it!

bisous
Suzanne

Anonymous said...

Five years of organizing this? That in itself is amazing, I sure hope they appreciate all your hard work.
It was great to see that you jump in and at least enjoy yourself during the event.
This ensemble you put together is amazing, love every item, but that skirt is a treasure.

Natalia Lialina said...

Lovely orange-ish red outfit, Curtise! Good to see your friends again, and that portrait of you and Claudia is just so adorable! You are right - enough is enough. I am glad that you did so well and leave on such a satisfying note. And I am wondering - what you'll pick next... :)

Loved seeing your little treats, that pot is gorgeous, I always spot similar patterns and colors at Goodwill or antique mall. Enjoy your freedom! xxx

Vix said...

Hey, Monk, I do believe I've got that skirt in green! What a fabulous outfit, you look amazing in red (and green, blue, yellow, pink and purple!)
The jumble outfits are ace. Claude is a woman of taste. I better not show Jon the blog photos or he'll be clamouring over those flasks. Did you know he had a fetish?
What an utterly brilliant result, that's such a lot of money. Maybe you could persuade the chazza to do similar before they consign the unsold stuff into the rag bag?
Three days and counting!
Love you! xxxx

Sue said...

Good effort at the school jumble sale. It is nice to do your bit but it is also nice to know when you have done your bit and it is someone elses time to step up. I did laugh at the PJP, I remember those well from my time on a PTA. Loving your outfit, short sleeves is telling me it is getting warmer over there.

Unknown said...

Wow that is a fabulous amount of money to raise well done to you all :-) Great buys to. I love your collage with all the flowers so pretty and full of life just makes me think summer is waiting not far away :-) You look gorgeous as always to. Have a lovely week, dee xx

Porcelina said...

That's a sterling effort, well done ladies! I love a jumble sale, but there aren't too many around where I live, but then they can be hard to find and not well advertised unless you're a member of a particular church or school group.

I love all the reds in your outfit, it looks great. Hope you enjoyed your read in the bath!
xx

Mim said...

Reading in the bath is blissful. Though I have learned to be more careful with my Kindle...

Those Dutch souvenir dolls are terrifying. I hope you've locked them up somewhere secure!

Ulla-Marie said...

Color-bonanza, and if you ever get tired of that sequin top ...

Unknown said...

I bet no one is going is going to let you slide off the PTA duties easy, trouble with doing things well... Very good results all round and deserving of a drop of the bubbly. And it's educational, I do consider the most important thing to teach children is the value of second hand. And that doll reminds me of Hamble, you know who I mean.

Olga Rani said...

You managed to raise quite an impressive sum of money. I saw a couple of things that I could buy too, those dolls, for example. Love your Indian maxi skirt, ravishing colour and print.

at my dressingtable said...

Well done on the money you raised at your jumble sale you all should be very proud ! what a high to go out on, love you in the red best wishes x

Unknown said...

Oh darling you look smashing !
What an luxury to take a bath...I sure would love to !
xxx

Louise Mc said...

Wow, you raised loads at the jumble sale. I adore the tapestry bag. It's cool. X

diaryofapennypincher said...

Excellent result with the fundraising, I imagine you will still be needed for consultancy duties. Great outfit, red looks divine on you, and what gorgeous bargains too!

Mrs Bertimus said...

Gorgeous outfit,as always. You look resplendent.
Your jumble sales are legendary and congratulations to all for raising such a load of funds for the school!
X

freckleface said...

Looking lush Monko! It really made me laugh when Jon called you that, hope you don't mind. Yeah, so anyway, love you in the Indian block print maxi, you always look great in red. Ah bless her, Claudia, she is really following in your footsteps. How much?! And after all that you raised for the chazza too. You'll be canonised at this rate!! Xxxxx

Sewingadicta said...

That was a weekend full of fun !! Love your skirt, you look divine in the red.

Diane said...

I got whisked off to York or I would have come - but I know you would have bagsyed the bestest bargains. You are bringing your girl up well! xxx

Angels have Red Hair said...

Well congrats for doing your bit for all those years ... glad it was a successful sale. Though the PJP does sound like the best bit of the day :0)
xx

Forest City Fashionista said...

Best to go out with a bang, and I think you did - I think it's great that you dress up for the jumble sales, and have a post-sale alcohol-fueled debrief.

Very pretty red print maxi skirt. Redheads can most certainly wear red!

Unknown said...

The sale sounds like a lot of fun, but I can see where it would be a lot of work! You look just perfect in your outfit though. :)

bahnwärterin said...

hihi - love your housewife look! and the two different eyeshadows on your friend!!!! and claudia is such a cutie!!! fab that the sale was that successful - off to new shores. what will it be for you?
the red gypsy queen outfit looks fantastic on you, great combination!!!!!!
your flowers are faster then mine - but we still have it under zero every night...
xxxxxxxxx

Trees said...

When I read the title I was worried you had given up blogging!! But phew...all is well! Good for you for contributing to your school for FIVE YEARS - but its good to know when to move on and let someone else take over. Although it looks like a jumble sale organised by you would be a WHOLE lot of fun. Looking lovely as always xox

Ivana Split said...

that maxi dress is gorgeous!

Shawna McComber said...

Ooooohhh I love this maxi skirt ensemble! Bright colours suit you so well. The jumble sale looks a marvelous event and I wish I could have popped by to spend some money. I am not wild about Harry either but I do sort of resemble him when I wake up in the morning. xoxo

Unknown said...

What a brilliant amount raised, you have all worked so hard for the school over the years and there comes a time when you want to move on and leave it to others as I know myself. Onwards and upwards! Lovely to see Tracey and Karen, so many happy memories with you all. L Anne x

Señora Allnut said...

glad you've enjoyed your (possibly) last jumble sale, it looks really exhausting to organize that kind of events!!
also glad you've enjoyed some prosecco!
mwahaha!
And love your red maxi and cute sequin top, such a pretty combo!, you look absolutely summery and gorgeous!!
besos

Unknown said...

Delicious ... every frame. So much fun with friends and the amazing Claudia. Congrats for decorating the event with your glam selves. Hope you made all the money you needed to!
That little jacket should be worn at least once a week until one of the girls steals it from you. So pretty and evocative with your skirt ... rich colors and textures ... you need to be taken out for dinner in that set.
BTW, you hair is looking particularly elegant. New shade, fresh cut or just your natural glow from within coming out your follicles?
So glad to get out and about and see what you're up to!

Kaffesoester said...

Curtise, you look gorgeous in this red outfit! I love how you mixed the patterned skirt and bangle with the sequin top - I go weak with just a hint of sequin, it's a great way to turn an evening piece into a day one.

If you get bored without the jumble-sale-duty, maybe you could write a "How to"-post for your blog, on organising jumble-sale and doing fund-raising?

The Style Crone said...

Ohhhhh! Love the Indian cotton wrap maxi skirt on you! You are as beautiful as the lovely spring flowers in your garden.

The jumble sale looks like a fun event, but I can understand the feeling of stepping back and hopefully taking more afternoon baths.

Melanie said...

Don't you all look a fun colourful bunch! Wow, the takings sound impressive for a school jumble!
xxx

Vintage Bird Girl said...

Oooh that vinyl bag is gorgeous! Xx

Emma Kate at Paint and Style said...

You look wonderful in your vintage housewife garb. Well done for making such a huge amount of money! xxxx