Magpie Monday #1 There be Pirates!

Poor old blog. It was all going so well, and then I got chickens. Chickens take up a lot of time, especially when they are doted upon and not just egg producers. Still, they go to bed at four in the winter, so I have no excuse for abandoning the blog during the colder months.

In a bid to rectify this, here is my first post in nine months! Inspired by tweeter @missielizzieb I am joining in on her Magpie Monday project. She's encouraging us all in a virtual show-and-tell of all our thrift shop, boot sale, ebay finds, basically anything that you've bought that will find a new and re-invigorated life in your possession.

So, without further ado, here is my first submission to Magpie Monday!

The thrifty pirate's hoard

1. I have long planned to hold a pirate party and this year I am finally going to do it! I spied this spotty corset on ebay and thought it would be the perfect starting point for my costume. I plan on adorning it further with embroidery and tattered lace, but it's a great backdrop for piratey creativity and only set me back £5 including postage. Watch this space to see how it ends up.

2. Beaten pewter tankard - for above event. If I can find enough, everyone will swig ale from a tankard at the pirate party, but if not, I really can't have enough piratey props, and this one cost £1 on of my lunchtime forays at the charity shop.

3. Another charity shop find - a very piratey red and white stripy headscarf for a bargainous 50p! This will either be worn as a scarf, or tied in a casual fashion from the corner of the buffet table. I am hoping a lot of suitable headscarfs and oddments of fabric turn up before September, as I will also need a lot of pirate bunting. :)