Crafty in the Med

I am here to enjoy meeting other bloggers and to share my love of craft ,mostly crochet, my thoughts and my daily happenings here in Alicante,Spain, my adopted country. I belong to a local choir because singing and music makes me happy. Flea markets and book shops are two of my favourite places to be. I read lots......sci´fi/fantasy,buried treasure, and off world adventures. I have a passion for history! I walk and walk and walk for about 10 months per year during the hot months I swim.

Wednesday 11 August 2021

Treasure Tale III

 

Market Find

I went down to the market the other day,nice an early before the heat strikes, as I wanted to buy some cool summer slacks for my sister to send to Devon in the UK.   

 

That isn't me by the way! I am behind the camera. 😀

 

I found the type of slacks I was looking for and decided to just have a gander around as I was looking for some new cushion fillers.

 

getting a bit crowded!


I didn't find the ones I wanted so as the market was getting crowded and it was getting hotter I decide to turn around and get back home. I had a refreshing dip in the pool in mind!  

I think it is strange sometimes how things happen! I just caught a glance of something as I was making my way out of the market and in fact I was just starting to go through the lane which leads out of the market when I thought "wait a minute, was that a stand I saw?".  

I had to turn around and go back of course!    

 


 

After all this time looking for a plant stand (the right sort) for the balcony garden I finally found one! It wasn't as tall as what I had in mind but I liked the simplicity of it and I think a coat of varnish would look good on it too. It was also economical!

 

 


 


 

 I am looking forward to going to the bigger market in Benalua Thursday week as there is a lady there who sells some lovely plants. I have been going to her for years and I just have to tell her where I want to put the plants and she advises me what would be suitable and how to care for them. This time I hope to pick up some pretty pots of flowers to put on this stand. It looks a bit drab at the moment.  I am still looking for a mini solar water fountain. At present the only ones I have found are much too big.      

Ah! before I forget!    I also found out who has been overwatering the plants. Sr P of course!!  Now I am not very knowledgeable about how to take care of plants but I do know if you overwater them the roots will rot!  Anyhow it seems,after I obtain his views on taking care of plants, that his gardening philosophy is, water is life so the more you give them water in summer the better they flourish. My reply was...what a load of rubbish and I told him I am not creating a balcony marshland but a garden. He has been banned from watering the plants totally! As an after thought I think I will get him some aquatic plants to care for!

 


Treasure Tale III

 

Not my mother's boots of course but similar. Google image.  

  

This next item that I shall be putting away in my time capsule is my mother's Boot Hook Button lacer.   She brought it over to me to keep when she came for another visit in the late 80s. She used this when she went to her first school way back in 1935 when she was five years old.

 

This was classed as a modern hook in the 1930s not like the ornate ones used in Victorian times.

 

 


 I found this video clip which will show you how these hooks were used. Although this video is about the Victorian and Edwardian era hooks continued to be used in the 1930s.


I love these snippets of history!

 

 RAOCKS

 I still haven't finished what I am making so I have nothing to show you at present.  

I believe I have mentioned before that I am an admin on the facebook Random Acts of Crochet Kindness group. We have noticed lately a really large influx of new members from  Australia and the US.  

RAOCK is becoming very popular there too! 

US and OZ bloggers you may find a RAOCK make any day now!  As I write the numbers of members on the group have gone up to nearly 65,000 strong!  

 



Happy blogging


Amanda :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14 comments:

  1. What a lucky find that plant stand is, and as long as you can keep Sr. P from watering the plants, it'll look lovely! I have my Nana's button hook, it's an old Victorian one. I've also acquired from my late mother-in-law, a tiny (about 3 inches) bone crochet hook. I've no idea where she got it, as she wasn't crafty at all. It's in my treasure cabinet. Maybe one day, I'll try using it.xx

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    1. Hello HH. I was lucky, after looking for so long,but that's the way it goes. I have learnt it is best to wait than rush in to a quick buy which later may not swerve its purpose. A bone crochet hook that is unusual! I'd like to see a photo of that. A x

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  2. Hi I enjoyed your post today-was like visiting with you in person-love that.
    The plant stand was a great find-I love it. I was just reading about this type of button hook-don't remember where now-awesome keepsake for sure.
    I had to smile about Mr P I think aquatic plants would be perfect for him to enjoy and take care of.
    I don't crochet but this awesome about your random acts of kindness group--hugs we are super hot again this week-just way too hot for us actually dangerous to be outdoors-temps close to the 100 mark along with very high humidity and still no rain so everything is drying up and burning up here. hugs Kathy

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    1. Thanks kathy and thanks for your kind comments. I am super pleased with the plant stand and when the heat abates I am going to varnish it. A x

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  3. Button hooks have long fascinated me. How lucky of you to find one!

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    1. Hi KSD,thanks for calling in and for leaving a comment. I must say when my mother gave it to me all those years back it was just a novelty. Nowadays I treasure all these little family heirlooms which so remind me of her. A x

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  4. The plant stand looks great and displays the plants very effectively. I love vintage bits and pieces like the button hook - treasures from a bygone era. However, still used for those people with dexterity challenges!
    Happy crocheting!
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. Hello Ellie, Thank you for calling in and for your comments. I seem to have more little treasures than I thought and writing about them this way one by one means I get to learn more about them as I search on the internet for the historical details. A x

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  5. What a great find Amanda, I can't wait to see it festooned with beautiful plants, I had to laugh at Sir P it's good you find the culprit haha. The button hook is a lovely item for your time capsule it's fascinating that you have these lovely pieces of history. That's an impressive number of members in the RAOCK group on Facebook, who wouldn't love to find a lovely little crochet treasure. We are thinking of crochet poppies now to display on our war memorial in November. Have a great week. Xx

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  6. An interesting post today, Amanda. Your new plant stand looks perfect for your outdoor plants - what a lucky find! It really pays to keep your eyes skinned.

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  7. Your new plant stand is lovely Amanda. I think it is perfect for your spot out there on the balcony. I would probably give it a white wash rather than varnish, but that is just the look that suits my decor better. A varnish will really protect it if any water runs over. That is amazing regarding your RAOCK group numbers!!

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  8. Neat plant stand 😀 RAOCK can be so special. Really love those boots my nanna had some like them ❤❤😀😀

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  9. I'm afraid I give my plants one good watering a week and that is it. Some like it, some would like much more but I'm not home a lot so this is what they get. Love the hook for buttoning shoes, what an amazing treasure. Have fun with the new plant stand.

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    1. That is what I used to do Mere when working! I'd water the plants once a week in the summer and when I remembered during the rest of the seasons LOL! As you might expect my balcony garden is looking much better now that I am coddling it. A x

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Thank you for your comments. I do read them and try to reply to all as well.Please keep them coming. Amanda :-)