Jan Sluijters

Like every year I spend far too much time on our daughters' birthday parties. Something I always realize in the last week. But I so much enjoy developing such a complete, relatively small, concept, to perfection. Unfortunately my work suffers from it. Yesterday evening I turned a thrifted straw hat, with an also second hand drapery cord and tassels and some felt, into a 'lady in red' look-a-like. You shouldn't look in detail (hooray for the glue gun), but in the picture it looks quite chique.

Octogonal

My favourite thriftstore used to be next to the supermarket. A visit to the supermarket meant a visit to the second hand shop. But the shop has moved further away and I don't go there as often. Just once in a while and I was lucky last time. I found this lovely fruit bowl. Not completely my style (too classic), but I like it's shape. While waiting for strawberries to come, we used it for our freshly baked scones: 250 gr selfraising flour, 2 spoons sugar, 1 pinch of salt, 30 gr butter in small cubes, 125 ml buttermilk and 1 egg. Knead all quickly and make a slab of 2 cm thick. Use a small glass to punch out  circles. Bake for ±25 min on 200°C.

Second hand beauty

When you're only three and a half it is difficult when your little brother gets all the presents, although it's his birthday. So for Rubens' big sister Wies we'll bring something too. I recently happened to find a couple of doll beds in the thriftstore. Only 14x9 cm in size and in a lovely red color. They only needed mattresses, pillows and quilts to turn them into a nice present. Those were also made from thrifted (but unused) fabrics and ribbons. You see, you don't need much (materials cost €1,50 in total) to make something cute.

Hinderlooper

Traditional painting techniques are in danger of disappearing, because there are no people who know all ins and outs of these detailed crafts anymore. For a moment I thought I personally could save techniques from dying out (I have a talent to easily learn such specific techniques). But since there's neither a typical painting technique in my region, nor have I the patience to keep painting following a strict system, I threw away that idea quickly. Instead I interpreted the figures I saw in this thrift store book to make some new stamps. No patience needed there. Just 10 minutes.

Fabulous find

My love for tableware goes well with the pleasure I take in second hand shopping. I like to combine our basic white Teema dinnerware with vintage plates, changing with the season. In winter we use the Julen-plates from Rorstrand. Last summers we used the antique French plates on the left when eating outside. But I had to replace them today, because I came across the beautiful retro hand painted Belgian Boch set. The design is called 'in the mood'. So we're getting in the mood for summer here, while the snow is still falling. And the French plates? They're are going back to France, to my parents place.

Thrift store jewellery

I discovered a new second hand store. Only 10 minutes by car. With good (cheap) prices. A broken necklace with cute rectangular wooden beads I even got for free! Buttons and yarn were from an earlier thrift store scavenger hunt. The bracelets are made with macrame knots. Honestly..wtf features a nice set of tutorials for crafting simple and delicate bracelets like these.

Warm atmosphere

Yesterday I had a tiny, tiny party to celebrate my birthday. A good day to use my recently thrifted wooden bowl collection. The bowls were easy to find in second hand stores. Not very popular (yet?) I guess. We filled them with typical 70's snacks. Nuts, peanuts, raw vegetable fingerfood with a dip, crackers with tuna- and eggsalad, small slices of sausage and cheese cubes. We started the afternoon with this Ottolenghi apple and olive olive oil cake. Our new favourite apple cake!

Wrapping

The seemingly useless yarn has been used! For a I-don't-know-where-to-use-it-for decoration. I followed a tutorial for christmas decorations, but can't find it now. update: Cassi found the tutorial I used here. Must do with the kids some day.

Useless beauty

I have no use for such large spools of yarn. And they're all dirty by dust. But I couldn't resist buying them in my favourite thriftstore, because of the beautiful, in fashion, colours. But what to do with them?

Paper zoo

My friend at the local thriftstore held back a nice book about collages for me. This postcard was made following one of the projects in the book. I really like the idea of a card that kids can play with. It was made from white cardstock and pages from magazines.

Cheap beauty

So satisfied about last posts' pouches, I made another one the next evening. For my toiletries this time, a bit smaller than the big one. I found the green jeansy fabric in the thriftstore and really loved the colour. An old baby blanket was used for the inside. The vintage ribbon was a gift. I think the pouch cost me about €1,- including the zipper.

Grandma's recipes

A small cigar box filled with handwritten and cut out recipes. Collected during a long period of time. Old fashioned handwriting. Lots of traditional recipes. Probably collecte by a conservative person. But then I discover a recipe with frog legs. A bit daring, I would say. I enjoy distilling a profile of the former owner of this little box! Bought for €0,50 in the local thriftstore.

Saved

One wall hanging from the thriftstore. Someone has spend many hours sewing felt and beads onto a fabric background. I had plans to make it into a bag when I bought it. Ideas changed, with these two pillows as result. One figurative, one abstract. I love the colours. Yellow and ochre catch my eye anyway at the moment.

Friends in the right places

Thanks to Yvonne, who's volunteering in my favourite thriftshop, I found this fantastic lamp. A thin metal witch-hat. Do you know who designed it? To complete it I ordered beautiful ochre fabric-covered flex at Snoerboer. And they were quick. Just one day after finding the lamp it is hanging over our dinnertable as if it has been there forever. I love it!

update: the pendant is called Semi and designed bij danish architects Bonderup & Thorup in 1967