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‘tiny happy’ was a journal of my handmade life from 2006-2025.

second-hand finds

Blue 3

Blue 1

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Blue 4

Blue 5 

It's been a very good week for second-hand shopping. I went looking for some preserving jars at the flea market and recycling centre on the weekend. I didn't find any of the right size, but I did find an asortment of nice blue and white things. A new duvet cover: blue and white stripes, with wooden buttons. Some creamy ceramic cups. An antique tin of pins. A book for Tom to take to his office (they don't make government-issue school books like that anymore.) And my favourite: a new shopping bag, blue and white striped denim with wooden ball-handles. It's quite big and seems to be handmade. I don't know what it was doing at the flea market, but needless to say it has found a good home.

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34 responses to “second-hand finds”

  1. Sarita Avatar
    Sarita

    oh what lovely finds…that duvet, sigh, just perfect…;)
    sarita..xx

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  2. anna Avatar
    anna

    i got that exact duvet in an op shop too. the stuff other people don’t want – i love it! all my bedding is second hand!

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  3. Christina Avatar
    Christina

    Lots of wonderful goodies. Quite jealous of those pins and that bag actually! 🙂

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  4. jennie Avatar
    jennie

    Oooh, love all things blue and white!
    I have a few pieces of TG Green crockery!

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  5. Cinnamon Avatar
    Cinnamon

    Will you make more of your hand drawn pottery with those cups? I do hope so.

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  6. Jessica - Domestic PDX Avatar
    Jessica – Domestic PDX

    Delightful. Love the blue and white.

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  7. Megan Avatar
    Megan

    love the bag and the book is a neat find too- love the cover

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  8. louana Avatar
    louana

    I think the tin of pins would be my dream find! what a beautiful collection of treasures

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  9. Chrissy Avatar
    Chrissy

    I have pins just like that, they were in my grandmothers sewing box that I was given after my grandfather passed away. Along with all sorts of other vintage sewing stuff! I have some initial tags for sewing into clothes, that say FF in copperplate, an old darning mushroom and so many old wooden cotton reels, I love all those bits and bobs.

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  10. Rattling On Avatar
    Rattling On

    Are you sure you live on the other side of the world to me http://www.typepad.com/site/blogs/6a0111685b0529970c010537204c6c970b/post/6a0111685b0529970c0120a86ada08970b/edit
    Only I think we’ve been shopping at the same thrift shops….can you actuall open the tin??

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  11. nath Avatar
    nath

    that bag looks like something you would make! it’s lovely. love the blue theme.

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  12. hanna Avatar
    hanna

    oh, I haven’t been opp shopping for ages. I’ve been avoiding them as too many things seem to make their way home with me 😉
    But now you’ve made me want to go.

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  13. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    thank you, hanna- yes, i know what you mean. i had to donate quite a lot of stuff back to the op shop on the same visit!

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  14. Holly C. Avatar
    Holly C.

    Great finds!
    I especially love the tin of pins.☺

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  15. Lovely World Avatar
    Lovely World

    Pretty colors. I like the white cups. I have been thinking of collecting simple white dishware for our everyday use.

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  16. caireen Avatar
    caireen

    my mum has that tin of pins – it makes me very nostalgic of home and learning to sew on my grandmas handwheel sewing machine. Cx

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  17. stephanie caldwell Avatar
    stephanie caldwell

    oh wonderful finds! the pin tin is very pretty.

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  18. Kiki Avatar
    Kiki

    I absolutely love the Reading book and the blue pattern on the cover! It will make such a lovely display piece!

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  19. Jacqui Dodds Avatar
    Jacqui Dodds

    Oh wow I have that box of pins that I got from my Mum – I must ask her how long she had it and if she remembers where she got it from. I also love the cover of the book you have bought.

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  20. Mousy Brown Avatar
    Mousy Brown

    Ha ha – I was going to link to you – I recognised that tin too! 😀

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  21. Mousy Brown Avatar
    Mousy Brown

    Love all your finds – nothing better than discovering treasure that other people don’t want! 😀

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  22. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    ha- how funny! aren’t we lucky?

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  23. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    thanks, cinnamon- that was my plan.

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  24. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    ha- i guess those tins are to be found all over the world. 🙂 and no- i can’t open mine easily but i got tom to. they’re really hard!

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  25. domesticali Avatar
    domesticali

    Your finds made me smile – my mother has the exact same tin of pins!

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  26. Margaret Oomen Avatar
    Margaret Oomen

    everything is beautiful but that small tin of pins and the book really take the cake

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  27. katie Avatar
    katie

    oh wow
    totally coveting that READING BOOK!!!!!
    what does it say?
    it looks fascinating X

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  28. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    hey katie,
    it just talks about how teachers can encourage students to read more literature and suggests different books to inspire them… pretty awesome cover eh?

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  29. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    These are such wonderful finds, and so perfect for you. I especially love the design on the book cover and the duvet slip!
    Speaking of perfect, I just received your package and I LOVE the little pouches with the sashiko-style stitching! And oh, the buttons, what a lovely surprise! They’re so beautiful!!! I will definitely use them on a handknit soon. Thank you so much Melissa. Ordering from you is such a treat.

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  30. Denise @ A Bun Can Dance Avatar
    Denise @ A Bun Can Dance

    My Mum had one of those tins of dressmaking pins when I was a child! I’ve not seen that lid in decades…. your photo made me smile 🙂
    Denise x

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  31. Megan Young Avatar
    Megan Young

    The colours are so perfect!!! That tin is adorable.

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  32. Frith Hansen Avatar
    Frith Hansen

    I too have the same ‘tin of pins’, although I’m sadly missing the pins part. I love old tins I have a wee stack in my lounge. xx

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  33. THE NIGHT OWL Avatar
    THE NIGHT OWL

    I’m lucky enough to have TWO tins of those pins in my Mum’s sewing basket. One all metal, the other with coloured glass ends. Do yours still have the clipped disc of black sugar paper in the bottom?

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  34. tinyhappy Avatar
    tinyhappy

    lucky you!
    the pins in my tin are the metal type. and yes, the papers there!

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