A few photos from Builth Antiques Fair

We had a "day off" on Saturday, and went to the Antiques Fair and Fleamarket at Builth Wells.  We had intended to go to Burry Port car boot sale beforehand, but when the alarm went off just after 5 a.m. I just could NOT drag myself out of bed, having been awake much of the night AGAIN.

Normally we trot round the Antiques Fair and really enjoy it, but neither of us had much energy (this was due to the cold we had - not too bad in the nose-blowing department but one which sapped energy and absolutely DRAINED us).  We sauntered along for a couple of hours before going back to the car for lunch, and for two pins I would have stayed there with my book, but half the Fair was unseen and so I gritted my teefs and we went back and enjoyed the 2nd half, though we didn't linger.  I just bought two old horse bits for my collection (£5 worth) and Keith found a couple of bits for the Militaria side of our dealing, so it was worth going, quite apart from seeing lots of our friends there of course.

A puzzling piece - looks Indian, and for displaying something (for sale, one assumes).  The brown bits in the middle are nothing to do with it.  Suggestions on a postcard please . . .

There are lots of Ebernezer Chapels in Wales, and I assume this chest was associated with one of them, for the help of the poor and needy.  However, at first glance, you are bound to think, who the heck was Ebernezer Sick?!!!  They didn't want it broken into, hence the three locks . . .

I can imagine lots of small children would love to play with this wee ship.

A range of tribal goodies.  The many-holed bowl in the front is for an African game - we had a smaller version of it for a while - but I can't recall the name of the game.

Above and below: some really lovely pieces of art pottery on this stand.  I wouldn't mind a few of these on MY stand either.

This lovely carved table is similar (but more ornate) to one Eldest Daughter bought last week.

Bargain Hunt were filming as usual.  Here are the Reds with their Expert.

A selection of old quilts.  This one above is a good honest piece made of heavy flannels.

Below: an interesting old quilt, but sadly the materials were falling apart where the threads had weakened and rotted from sunlight and age.  

Finally - a lovely stand with lots of good old antique pieces, treen, etc.  A stylish collection.

Well, today is carpet-laying day in our bedroom.  I have spent the last two afternoons repainting the back of the door and all the skirting boards in French Chiffon (one of those sort of white-grey or grey-white paints).  I have also given a 2nd coat to parts of the blue walls where it was a little patchy.  I have new curtains (must iron them) in a very light silver grey and the carpet is also light grey, so it will look lovely in there when finished.  We cut up the HORRID pale pink NYLON carpet which I have hated for the past 30 years and taken it off to the dump.  THAT was a very satisfying job!

I am now finally off the steroids, but still needing to catch up on many nights' lost sleep and energy is at a premium.  I needed to rest but have not had the luxury of doing so because there has been so much needing doing to get the house ready to go back on the market.  Hopefully we are nearly there now.  I was cleaning windows yesterday, so that is a step nearer.  Middle Daughter is coming up today to help anyway, so hopefully that will break the back of it, if I can summon the energy to keep going.

Day off - a Busman's holiday!

Isn't this Cucumber Jug fun?!  Just one of the things we saw at Builth Antiques Fair & Fleamarket today.  It's held twice a year and we always look forward to going and looking round.  It isn't a good fair for buying stock at - most of the traders there know their onions and not many bargains to be had, but I got a pretty glass jug which is in the Unit already, and K got a couple of blingy knives, which are also already offered for sale at the Unit.

I clocked up nearly 14,000 steps walking round so that burned enough calories up for me to be tempted by a Llanfaes Dairy (Italian style) icecream at the end - mine was Raspberry Pavlova, with a nice sharp raspberry taste, and K had chocolate.  I have since walked up the hill and beyond, taking photos, and am now on 19,000 steps, so will walk up the hill a bit again to round it up to 20,000.

As usual we saw lots of friends, either stalled out there or else - like us - walking round and seeing if there was anything worth buying.  It's always interesting to see what other folk are selling and what prices they hope to achieve!

We found our favourite stall was one from North Devon who sold treen, but WHAT treen, and some really unusual and rare things, as well as some really nice period chairs and small pieces of furniture.  We could have spent a fortune with him, and can confess that my Christmas present for 2017 has already been sorted!  - a really unusual costrel (I collect them).  This has now freed up three lesser (but still nice) costrels from my current collection which will go into stock, and I have fewer but better pieces on display at home.

I'll leave you with a funny moment from today.  K was on one side of a friend's stand and I on the other - it was narrow enough that we could have touched hands.  I saw something I wanted to draw his attention to and without looking, as I knew he was behind me, I put my hand out and tapped him on the bottom. There was no response, so I turned round and found K had moved and it was a stranger's btm I had been patting!!! To make matters worse, there was a giggling lady stood outside the stand, and I asked her - "Oh dear, was that your husband?"  Needless to say, it was!!!

I am having great trouble loading photos tonight, so will TRY to load one more whilst I am in the bath in a moment (yes, they take THAT long to load).

A lovely photo to end with - what is THIS for?!

Busy busy - and internet problems

This was the cake at my table for when my dear friend Kim and her boyfriend Tim came to visit.  It was all very last minute because I was an egg short for the recipe, and had to wait until my husband bought me some back from town.  One half of the mixture was slightly thicker and came out of the oven just 20 mins before my friends were due to arrive.  Needless to say, it was bunged unceremoniously into the fridge to keep company with its thinner half . . .  I have made . . . lighter! . . . sponges, but it tasted good all the same!

We have been very, VERY busy here.  Fleamarkets, both buying and selling at, and auctions, and friends visiting and . . .  you get the idea.

Here are a few photos from Builth Antiques Fair last weekend.  These are some cheerful crochet animals from a lady who always has a stall there and is very craft-orientated and a keen crocheter.

Two rare (and thus expensive - £150 I think was the price) Aller Vale jugs at the Fair.

You can buy almost anything there . . .  From an age when such things were considered stylish (sadly).

There weren't many quilts on display this time, but this one is spectacular.

I just loved this little horse who had been used on a carousel at one time.  He was £595 or he might have come home with me!

This was the nicest jewellery stand we saw.  Lots of goodies, and all colour-matched.

The Domestic Byegones is always one of my favourite stalls.

Right, off to bed now.  Count yourself lucky to have ANY photos the way the computer is playing up!