Sunny Saturday Finds

I had a really busy week last week, as I am now working four days a week, and I had a lot of cat jobs, both morning and evening. Going to bed early and being very organised got me through, but I was glad when Friday arrived! One of my cat visits was to Huba and Mici in New Cross, a sweet combination of huge white boy cat, and tiny black girl cat, both of whom loved the laser toy and their food. Where they live is a dead end street that loops round on itself and is off the very busy main road to New Cross. Amazingly it has no parking restrictions. And even better, I realised halfway through the week that it is about a two minute walk from Deptford Market. I normally park near the dentist in Deptford which is a good 15 minute walk away, so was very happy to find this new place. Saturday morning was my last visit, so I couldn't resist a quick visit to the market afterwards. I found a few tiny things, but my best two finds are below. The doll was lying on top of some shelves on a stall that was mainly selling trainers. There was nothing else remotely old on the stall, and she called for immediate rescue! I love her dress and expression, and all she needs is a little clean of the dress and a new pigtail. The dress can be got off by unpicking a few stitches. 

She is sitting on top of the other great find, a Lloyd Loom laundry basket. I have been looking for a one for ages, and wanted a traditional wicker type with a lid. I have not found anything suitable. As I was about to go back to the car, I realised that I was surrounded by laundry baskets! But they were all either too big, or too dirty. Then I spotted this one. It was five pounds which is a lot cheaper than a modern one. It is slightly bashed but the hinge is good. I gave it a thorough vacuum, and wiped the wipeable bits. I thought about painting it. It is a strange dull pink colour with gold highlights, which at first I thought was someone's bad paint job. Then when I looked them up online I realised that this is how they looked. There was an aqua and gold combo too. I think they had glass tops on too, though maybe not all of them. So I am going to leave it for now. I have made a bag to sit inside out of a vintage tablecloth that Andy got ink on. I need to put some more hooks in, and will find some little toggle buttons or similar to make it easier to remove the lining. Lloyd Loom furniture, in case you didn't know, ( you probably do!) is made from rolled up paper.

"1917 The legendary Lloyd Loom process was invented by an American, Marshall B. Lloyd, who twisted Kraft paper round a metal wire, placed the paper threads on a loom and wove them into what was to become the traditional Lloyd Loom fabric.

William Lusty was a salvage merchant who rescued driftwood that had fallen into the London canals from barges, and then turned them into packing crates. He contacted Marshall B. Lloyd and expressed an interest in obtaining the patent in order to manufacture Lloyd Loom furniture in the UK."

Both of the above are from the great Grace's Guide to British Industrial History.