All posts tagged: Treasure hunting

Mudlarking on the river Thames.

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While we were on holiday in the UK, alongside visiting family and playing tourist in my home town of Lincoln, we also booked the train to go to London, wander along the edge of the Thames and see what treasures we could find. The ancient art of mudlarking is alive and very much kicking, everyone seems to be doing it and finding some amazing things.  Check out London Mudlark who not only finds the most wonderful historical treasures but also gives the background to the items along with essential mudlarking tips and guidelines. Of course you can’t just roll up at low tide and start digging about in the mud, you need a permit and these can be obtained from the Port of London Authority.  They take about a month to process so give yourself plenty of time. As we were only in the UK for 2 weeks and not in London, I pored over the tide tables which are also on the Port Authority website, to ascertain the best time to get into London on …

Estate sale finds.

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A couple of weeks ago I went to an estate sale in St Louis and found some great stuff.  When I go to a sale I am usually looking for papers of all kinds to use in my art journaling, these can include old books, postcards, flash cards or recipe cards to name a few.  I also look for books I can use to make a sketchbook from, so a cool cover might catch my eye. This book definitely caught my eye at this sale, it is pretty ancient and delicate but not to the extent that I can’t use it.  What I love most about this book is that I can use it as it is and I don’t have to take any pages out or sew any new in. It used to house vinyl records and is basically a book of pockets made from fabulous brown paper with lots of character. There are only 12 ‘pages’ but so many options.  Each pocket page is intact and secure and the hole through the book …

Weekly Photos 2017. 5/52

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I saw this rather old jar sticking out of the creek bed as I walked through the woods this week. I wonder what was in it all those years ago? We spotted this bright lichen on a dog walk this week. Matching funghi. I photo’d this church against the city scape with a view to drawing it, I haven’t sketched it yet, but I will (honest). It has not been super cold this week but this ice was impressive. This bark which has dried out off the tree looks like paper in a very thick book. We found this jar in the mud, it contained beauty cream in the 1930’s and there it was, intact but missing the lid which I suppose had disintegrated over eighty years. I hope you had a lovely week, we found lots of stuff which is always an exciting time in our house! Happy Monday x    

‘I Like’ Friday. The secondhand Edition.

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Estate sales.  I love them. Estate sales, jumble sales, rummage sales, yard sales, car boot sales, thrift shops,  Goodwill shops, charity shops and if I went to Australia I bet I would love Op shops! It is like an adventure in casual shopping, I say casual because you can’t really go to any of these places looking for a very specific thing.  I always have in mind what type of thing I am looking for, but I keep my eyes open and remember to look at everything! Shopping somewhere like Goodwill means that you are focused on colours you are drawn to, styles you like and your size, rather than what the stores want to direct you to buy.  I love to browse the jeans, where are you going to get a better selection? Goodwill have all styles from Old Navy to Lucky Brand and Gloria Vanderbilt via Levis and Ann Taylor Loft.  I have discovered that Banana Republic and Ann Taylor Loft jeans are the best fit for me thanks to Goodwill.  I have …