Flea-market haul

I like crafting and DIY a lot. And the local flea-markets and secondhand stores are a treasure trove for finding inspiration for new projects. I do not go as often as I would like, mostly to protect my wallet from bleeding too much.

Now there is one place in particular here that has very nice prices and also stocks a separate handicrafts department. I went there yesterday because I got a tipoff that there was an old guitar there for sale. I found the guitar, an old Landola (which is a local Finnish brand). It lacked strings and the screws were very worn, but that is easy to fix. The most worrisome part is that the neck is slightly loose from the body, probably because of someone putting metal strings on it instead of nylon. I bought it anyway (and managed to negotiate the price). I intend to restore it as I know a carpenter who will be able to help. Then hopefully I will have a very good quality second guitar that I can bring with me on trips or for work.

As I happened to be in this particular flea-market, I decided to go to the craft department, and lo and behold did I find nice things there. At the end of my visit I came away with a large cookie-pillow for making bobbin lace. I have been thinking of buying one but around here they are very expensive. So finding one for a miniscule prize was a real stoke of luck. I will change out the fabric on it and redo some of the padding, as it is a little too soft for my liking. Then I'll just have to find bobbins somewhere, as I won't get far with the two pairs I have.

I also found a very nice 20 cm wide, cream colored bobbin lace. It was in two pieces but together they measure about 3 meters. I paid 5 euros for it, and I'm fairly certain that had I found it at a normal store the price would have been 20-30 euros per meter. I felt amazingly lucky. Now the lace seems old and has some discoloring, so I am debating with myself whether I might be able to gently wash and dye it. Anyhow, it will certainly feature in some future project.

I found a small handbook on traditional wood carving. This will be a gift for the aforementioned carpenter. Lastly, but maybe what I prized most, was a leaflet with diagrams and models for embroidering monograms. It featured many different styles, and gives ideas for arranging letters, and embellishment around monograms. I have been looking for something similar for a while. And it will be a joy to dig into this one.

That is all for this time. Have a nice day!

~Stella