No the children aren’t pre loved or thrifted though you could say they were inherited as both Glenn and I used the genes we inherited from our parents to make them. The items that really actually do fit are:

The bookshelf that used to live at my brothers house

All the clothes (other than Lani’s new jeans that she loves because they are skinny jeans like adults wear apparently. Fashionista in the making)

The high chair found in a church opp shop

A lot of the books, Sabi has some from my collection of old bloodthirsty Grims brothers tales.

The lounge, that we bought when we went to a really cool second hand furniture shop looking for a desk. We didn’t buy a desk.

Oh and the house was owned by some one before us but I’m not sure if they loved it.

Then Jonas Dog jumped up on the lounge and I realised he is pre loved too. He was a show dog but they couldn’t breed from him because he has hairy bear legs at the front and his teeth grew in wonky. His owners couldn’t afford to keep him and a breeding dog so he came to live with us.

The sideboard came from Mum and Dads, Dad was going to chop it up to make something out of the wood but I begged for it. I have such an emotional attachment to this piece of furniture. Growing up as a fake only child due to a large age gap and slightly displaced because the rest of ours all live in England I spent a lot of my childhood hunting for relics belonging to my mysterious relations. The side board was full of them, buttons from Jill’s dresses, her GFS badge and faded passport and school photos from both of them lived in the compartments of the top draw. Other draws contained hand made Mother’s Day cards scrawled over in a childish hand I couldn’t fathom had ever belonged to my sister. Photos of my Dad with hair being Karate kicked by a child shaped like my brother and cassette tapes of a boy with a very Geordie accent playing tanks were in the middle draws. The bottom draw was my favourite place to secretly delve into the past, there my urban archaeology was rewarded with cards my Granda sent my Gran during the war and a love letter written on a girls hanky in red lipstick. Sometimes I wish I had a Tardis.

Oh and the TV and DVD player are borrowed does that count?

The cot came from a second hand baby shop, whoa that sounds wrong it was a second hand stuff babies need shop.

All the toys other than the pink Jellyfish that knows how to cook peanuts (sorry a joke between my kids and their best friends) were either second hand from Glenn and I or bought at an opp shop.

Kisses for Dancing Doll this one used to be my sisters and is the oldest toy we have. I don’t even know her story but she is stuffed with stockings. Jill if you read this we’d love to know about her, the girls all adore her.

Kisses for Daddy’s snoopy, his oldest baby toy.

I think she’s trying to eat Worzel Gummidge (I was hooked on the show at the time). I got him from one of those mythical relatives when I went to England for the first time when I was 7 and for a while he smelt of old lady, an alien yet not totally unpleasant sent.   

If you would like to see more or play along head over to Hello Owls

Related posts:

1. Just cruising baby
2. Doll Update
3. Today’s little op shop finds

I have a confession I love doilies, I know, I know, how Little old lady of me. Mostly I just look at them, take them for a little walk around the shop then put them back (I’m not sure if other members of this family enjoy having them around quite as much as me) But I just couldn’t put this cute little guy back. Maybe It’s my British heritage, maybe it was because I couldn’t stop smiling at how happy that little drumming man looks but mostly I think it is because I know that some unknown hands of the past held needle and thread between their fingers and added all those tiny crosses all those tiny dashes because they were inspired to, because they wanted to make a plain piece of material special. Thank you unknown hands.

I also found a wooden high chair. I have been wanting one for ages I find the plastic ones so hard to clean, and well, who really wants a giant blob of white plastic right in the middle of their kitchen.  This guy was a mess when I found him he looked like he’d never been oiled, was all gray and dirty. I really wish I’d taken a before shot, but I didn’t. I honestly thought he’d have to be sanded and re-varnished before he looked any good.

So instead of a before shot you are going to have to make do with a baby shot instead, I hope you don’t mind. Of course the little high chair matches perfectly with the furniture in the kitchen that we are about to get rid and not at all with the furniture we currently have on lay buy. I wonder if I should stain it ??? or just leave it as a contrast??? what do you think?? the new furniture is a very dark brown. Oooh look at all those question marks, can you tell I’m in a dilemma?? Ahh there I go again.

Related posts:

1. Book Week 2009 – The Cat in the Hat
2. My place & Yours – pre loved/thrifted/inherited