Be methodical

The sheer scale of boot sales or flea markets can sometimes be overwhelming. Pick a route and cover a section at a time: zig-zagging and flitting from stall to stall can get confusing.

Allocate a slot

Thrifting is fun, but all that rummaging can take time. Ensure you’ve blocked out a set slot so it stays fun and stress-free.

The time to buy

Is when you see it. You never know when you’ll spot another item like it. However…

Set a budget

You don’t want to bankrupt yourself in the process. Be sensible about what you’re spending: pick a figure and stick to it.

Bargaining power

While we would never haggle in a charity shop, people expect a bit of bartering at boot sales and flea markets. If you’re buying a few items from the seller, see if they will offer a discount for bulk purchases.

Check your items over

Even thought most older items will have suffered wear and tear, it’s important to check for damage. It’s best to get electrical items tested before you use them at home. If an item needs parts, research the cost and availability of them online before agreeing a price with the seller.

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Flea markets, thrift stores and car boot sales can often house the best vintage treats and treasures you could ever hope to own. Here’s how you go about finding them…

Head out on a path less travelled

Visit towns and cities away from where you would normally shop. Villages or places without nearby universities or colleges nearby could house some real gems.

Don’t be afraid to rummage

Many vintage treats are often buried under a mass of other not-so-great items, so get stuck in and be thorough in your search.

Look high and low

While it’s important to check displays at eye level, it also pays to look at what’s in boxes on the floor or stacked up on tall bookcases.

Check the local paper

It’s worth having a look in the local newspaper’s events section. Most jumble sales will be advertised there rather than online.

Never judge a book by its cover

Don’t underestimate the power of a good clean. If something doesn’t look great at first glance, examine it closely: sometimes a good scrub with washing-up liquid or laundry detergent can work wonders.

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The fabric covered trunk above had seen better days, and Jenny Warner has chosen to re-cover it in a stunning vintage roses fabric. The wooden runners are still on show and it looks amazing in her home. Find more of Jenny’s vintage and thrifting inspiration at The Custards.

Adore this pretty idea for parties and weddings. We found this on Love My Dress and it features as part of the most stunningly beautiful wedding we have ever seen. We love every bit of this bride’s wedding day, right down to the vintage trunk used to show the table plan. Just gorgeous. (Photographed by Natalie Watts).

Okay, not strictly speaking a trunk, but a selection of vintage luggage piled up and topped with a mirror for a very glam bedside table. Designed by Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere. So pretty, so practical. Just think of all the stuff you could hide in that kind of storage, no-one would ever know and your room would look beautiful and clutter-free. Result.

Last-up. If you’re partial to a cocktail, and you’re given to DIY, you may like to give this a go… vintage trunk becomes bar trolley. So Mad Men! There’s a tutorial over on ReadyMade if you like it.

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While browsing around for the best of crafty ideas, we found this beautiful project by Karyn on her Make Something blog. Karyn uses her vintage typewriters to type personal messages on to fabric labels. Don’t they look gorgeous? Such an individual way of personalising your makes. Visit Make Something to follow Karyn’s DIY guide to making typewritten fabric labels.

If you’d like to read more about Lynsdey, and perhaps congratulate her on her lucky find, you can follow her adventures at It’s Me Pandy.

Before we go, we couldn’t resist showing you this treat of a fabric with a retro typewriter print. This fab fabric is designed by Melody Miller and available from m is for make. Perhaps we’ll settle for a metre of this, till we stumble upon a typewriter of our own. Anyone up for a ramble this weekend?

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You’re probably not going to thrift one of these as a bargain on ebay these days. No, for the humble tin you’ll have to get up early and get down to your local car booter. And as luck would have it, spring is the time when car boot sales are popping up everywhere again.

Use old tins as planters or vases, indoors or out. These two beauties are something to aim for. On the left, pink tulips in an old tea tin created by Elizabeth Anne Designs. On the right, a spring planter by Jenny Warner from The Custards.

And this last one, well, absolutely right, it only has flowers on it, but it is the quirkiest use of an old cake tin we’ve seen, and we just had to show you! Visit Lilliedale blog to see how to make it.

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Mary’s just photocopied some work in progress patchwork and used it to cover an otherwise plain notebook. Which is a nice way to make the most of the quilt, before it’s even finished! We can’t help but think of the possibilities for this… cute matching office stationery with the textile touch, tiny gifts wrapped with original designs. You could copy embroideries and vintage fabrics and have so much fun around the home.

To see more of Mary Jane’s thrifty ideas and her adventures in craft, visit the Mary Jame Makes blog.

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Claire Dalglish is the lady behind Fellow Fellow and has this thrifty make to share with you today… Welcome, Claire!

These pretty jam jars are so easy to make. Before I start, a little word about candle safety. Although I have used real candles in my jars, it would be safest to use battery-operated tea-lights. If you use real tealights, you must make sure your jar is big enough so that the flame never comes into contact with the fabric. The more room around the candle flame the better. Never leave candles unattended.

To make these jam jar votive holders you will need just a few supplies that you have around your home. You will need some glass jars, fabric scraps, craft glue, scissors and a small brush.

First, measure the height and circumference of your jar and cut fabric strips of approx 1cm wide to fit. It doesn’t have to be too exact.

In a cup, mix your glue half and half with water and mix well.

Here’s the messy bit. Submerge your fabric strip in the watered down glue. Then lightly run your thumb and forefinger down the fabric strip to get rid of any excess glue.

Now position the fabric strip in your jar with the fabric print facing out. Use your paint brush to push out any airbubbles between the glass and the fabric.

Repeat this process working your way round the inside of the jar. Then leave overnight to dry. Once the glue is perfectly dry, you can add small tealights, sit back and enjoy!

Thanks, Claire. Thank you for sharing your idea with us. These look magical.

You can catch up with Claire Dalglish on her blog Fellow Fellow. 

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Meet Sophie Appleby from Her Library Adventures, we’re handing the blog over to her for a few moments so she can share her tutorial with you… (Loving the dress, by the way, Sophie!)

I love the idea of customising walls, cupboards and crockery with chalkboard paint, so I thought what better way to give new life to a thrifted bag than turning it into your own go-anywhere chalkboard, perfect for cute notes and even your shopping list.

Here’s what you’ll need to make the chalkboard bag…

You will need a cheap bag you are happy to restyle. Mine is made of vinyl which I picked up for next to nothing in a charity store. (A vinyl or plastic bag is best, because they take the chalkboard paint really well.) In addition you will need some chalkboard paint, some acrylic paint in a contrasting colour to your bag, a small bowl of water, a rag, a small brush and a chalk board marker.

First find a well ventilated space to paint your bag. Clean the area of your bag to be painted so that the paint will take nicely. Apply a thin layer of chalkboard paint to the area of your bag you would like to write on. (Please refer to the paint’s instructions for full details of drying times.)

While you are waiting for the blackboard paint to dry, clean off your brush and highlight any other areas of the bag with your contrasting colour. I’ve chosen a metallic acrylic paint, to highlight the area and to add some shine to my bag.

When the chalkboard paint is touch dry, apply another thin coat, ensuring you have painted into all the corners and edges. 

Next you need to wait until the chalkboard paint is completely dry before you write on it. I suggest leaving it overnight so that any chalkboard marker writing is easy to remove and change later on.

When the paint is dry, you can get creative with a chalk marker. Just make sure you choose one which is wipe clean so you can remove and change your words when you want to. You could write a note, draw a picture or even jot down your shopping list.

Ta da! Now you have a bag you can have fun with and be super-creative!

If you’d like to see more of Sophie’s ideas and inspirations, head on over to her blog Her Library Adventures for more vintage inspiration.

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This cute-as-a-button mirror was designed by Marianne Norup from Dig and Mig blog. Marianne loves vintage fabrics and toys and has been holding on to these vintage children’s blocks for some time. She didn’t really want to throw them away or give them to her baby, so came up with this funky mirror surround. You can find full instructions on how to make the mirror on her blog.

Other jigaws can be going for a song in bargain baskets – there might be a missing piece or two, but that doesn’t matter if you’re going to recycle the pieces anyway. Here’s another brilliant idea dreamt up by Muswerk. These shaped puzzle pieces are a bit of a find – Muswerk have used them to make magnets for a noticeboard. These retro puzzle shapes can be easily drilled too, if you want to make a piece of statement jewellery. Just add a ball chain for instant style.

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Genius blogger Dottie Angel may be one of the first to have kicked off the trend for these scrippy-scrappy lampshades (left), and Jenny Warner from The Custards has also been having a play.

These ghost lampshades are so easy to make. Simply strip down a nasty shade – the more wire the better! A curvey shape looks best. Just bind the shade with strips of fabric. Leave unadorned, or for a whimsical finish, complete with a variety of objets. Beautiful.

More home spun loveliness can be found on the Dottie Angel blog and chez The Custards.

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