PROJECTS.... 13

PROJECT F: THE LOFT 9

This strange material item is a sorta dress-skirt. I purchased some material and got my mother to create a dress for me - alas her sewing skills and my imagination came up with....erm..... this! The yellow elastic straps go over the shoulders to hold it on. The waist came either just above or below the bra-line, and the skirt itself flew wildly in 70's style. I used to have to tuck it between my legs when ringing church bells....

Another assortment of childhood memories that my parents hung onto - perhaps only to embarrass me with. The toilet seat was used by me as a child to roll marbles around. I used to pretend they were on a ship or in a school and moving between classes....

The chocolate box is full of magnetic letters. The milkman board is broken or I could have sold it perhaps. In olde world England, one put it out on the doorstep to inform the crack-of-dawn milkfloat how many bottles of milk and other dairy products you wanted.

That leaves us with a toy telephone that was once used as a coin collecting box as well as a toy and a TV set. Obviously it is a toy TV - no other TV would have a wallpaper-roll style picture and the same 'Old McDonald' song playing incessantly.... The TV might be worth something, but....

PROJECTS.... 12

PROJECT D: ROSE ARCH 2

I have now chopped back all the growth of weed, leaving stalks to be dug up and roses to be trimmed back. Here is the plan I need to follow to erect the rose arch, as soon as I pull down the old one, dig over the area, prune the roses and have half an hour free....

PROJECT F: THE LOFT 8

Next up is a collection of clothing including several pairs of extremely long gold-yellow socks. I assume these were my school hockey socks, but they might have been everyday school socks, as the first high school I attended had a blue and gold uniform. There is also a blouse-shirt-thing. I am uncertain as to where it came from, but assume it was either part of my pre-Australian wardrobe or an old shirt of my parents that I used for painting classes. I do not really want to share my bright red silky frilly undies with the world at large - but hope you will take it to be an amusing teenage fad of mine...

 

 

Oh dear - more undies! This time a frilly lace bra and brightly printed panties. Um, the things one wore in the 70's..... blush, blush! Also on show are a pinny and some other rather overly-patterned items of clothing...

PROJECTS.... 11

 

PROJECT F: THE LOFT 7

Here we have a dolls house that was made for me predominantly out of matchboxes. I am uncertain if my grandfather or father did the honors. Although the roof is in good condition, alas the walls/floor and contents have been the home of a mouse rather then doll family for several months, if not years and have been severely chewed. I managed to rescue a few small items that I may be able to sell - including a few baby dolls, however. 

This is Gina - my walkie-talkie doll. She appears to be wearing a kiddies rain-mac and home-made dress, but may still be worth a few pounds if I can sell her to a collector or kid. I recall she arrived one Christmas or birthday after my begging and nagging for a walkie-talkie doll......

This is Neddy. Apparently he arrived on my 3rd Christmas when I had a bad dose of flu so that I wasnt interested in my presents for a few days. I used to ride Neddy up and down the garden path when I was aged 12-13 - which caused amusement in the neighborhood - but I preferred to have fun and ignore those social norms...

PROJECTS.... 10

PROJECT F: THE LOFT 6

I do recall the first of this trio of books the clearest. I used to have a lot of books, but this one was a favorite at one point of my pre-school days! When I say I had a lot of books, I really do mean this - I had a 7 shelf bookcase AND a 3 or 4 shelf bookcase loaded with books by the time I was a mid-teen. I have the 7 shelves case filled now - but old books of mine are also stashed in 2 boxes, 2 stool-boxes, and a case - as well as having given away a box full and these newly rediscovered loft books!

As you can see, I had plenty of opportunity to read as a child. Would you believe it - I even had a bird book as a kid! No wonder I grew into someone who wrote a book and writes a blog about ornithology!

 

What resembles a pile of old rags is actually my needlecraft. I don't recall sewing much of this, but I do recall the floral-blue item. This was a skirt for a small girl - I was convinced I would have a daughter some day.... I doubt my son would ever fancy wearing this -especially not at 21! Ha ha.

PROJECTS.... 9

PROJECT F: THE LOFT 5

Continuing the massive export of loft-junk, a fairly old baby doll and some theater ticket stubs. Strange things my parents hoarded on my behalf. 

Next, another badge, a doll with growing hair, my toddler-aged PJ's, and a bundle of papers including an old bus timetable. 

Then 'Dobin' a broken-tailed toy horse and a PJ case that I have no recollection of whatsoever - maybe I kept dolls clothes in it? I seem to have had a LOT of dolls. Though why my parents kept any of them I do not know....sigh. Oh well, hopefully I can sell them for a few bucks.

Finally, for today, a few of the old books my parents stored for some reason or other. I recall that my first ever published letter was printed in a kiddies magazine called Jinty.

PROJECTS.... 8

PROJECT C: SUPPER BASKET 2

I have yet to locate a suitable replacement 'basket' to contain my father's supper tubs, so currently they sit on his dining table without a container.

PROJECT F: THE LOFT 4

Here are some more 'goodies' I found. An ancient pencil box without a lid, pottery face and tile print from elementary school, dolls pram cushion, 2 cube-picture block games, and a mouse tile and metallic pot from school pottery classes. Hmm.... WTF did my parents keep this junk for?

A doll's bed, an ugly glove puppet that my mother made, another tile from elementary pottery classes, and a pair of badges - oh dear. I do recall belonging to the Famous Five club and the Tingua and Tucker club, but honestly... this is my history - not my present/future.... why would anyone want to hold on to such stuff? I don't.... and it was MY stuff!

A cloth doll with a rather large head in a plastic dolly carriage, a closer shot of the two badges, and a colorful paper bag. PARENTS! How on earth could they store such JUNK? I am a parent also, but one who knows when one stage of life is over and done with and it is time to move on - a digitally stored photo of a favored childhood toy is far better a keepsake than the actual thing decaying in dust-ridden places. Oh well, maybe I can sell the badges and dolls bed/carriage....

PROJECTS.... 7

PROJECT F: THE LOFT 3

Continuing with the exploration of decades old trash from the loft....

A few lists my mother wrote out - that appear to be things to suggest I could do when I become bored. I do recall saying 'What can 'we' do?' rather a lot as a child. A newspaper style story of The King and I that I have no recall of having owned. A cycling proficiency certificate - blush blush. Some kiddies 'things to do' books....

 

Next we have a pile of numerous dolls clothes, blankets and other accessories for doll-games. I recall that tiny - and absolutely ancient - teddy bear that is now in pieces and must be about 100 years old! I once named it Richard.  I also recall my one and only non-school tie! I wore it to the only funeral I have ever been to (other than pets) - Grandpa's.

Finally for this posting, a photo of my toy-mice collection. At one point my best friend and I used to take boxes (beds) of toy mice to school to play with. The one on the left was homemade as I did not have any mice at first - but I soon collected a half dozen or so!