Welcome To The Family

First off, thank you. Your comments reguarding my "run in" with the eBayer has given me some confidence, just because I'm a girl, I will not be bullied by a man. I clearly have more knowledge in this area than he does, therefore, I am Queen!

Thanks to your wonderful hug, I'm feeling much more in the mood for some proper old fashioned blogging.

Last week I became the proud new owner of a bicycle! This time, she is a perfect fit for me, so many happy adventures are sure to follow. I'll now give you a little run down of my new baby:

She is a BSA, I think the model may be a Club Roadster, some investigation is needed.

Bought in 1930, the previous owner has the original receipt, but has mis-laid it, fingers crossed it will turn up

She has a single speed, which ideal for someone like me who is useless with gears!

A whopper of a bell, which sound like a telephone, or shop bell, it has a rather loud ding

A chain cover (only a half, not fully enclosed)

Dunlop sprung saddle, with matching saddlebag (Ideal for my make-up, as my Dad said!)

BSA rubber pedals

She had an ivory coloured Apex pump, but the washer had split, so I went o get a new one, and came away with a new pump instead! I'd be gutted if the Apex was stolen, so it will go on display and the Zefal will be the pump attached to the back.

I picked her up on the Thursday before last, following a rather exciting jaunt into the hills, and a few wrong turns - I blame AA Route Finder entirely, fine for straight forward journeys, but it doesn't understand country lanes too well!

So that's my girl, safely tucked away in the workshop until we get the nice weather back. I spent last week re-learning to ride. I'm rather wobbly and seem to emulate a 4 year old's first ride without stabilisers!

By the weekend I had discovered the joy of indicating, even though it was only on the yard. I'd never been able to remove my hands from the bars before... Well, I did, but ended up skirt over head in the hedge.
After this little achievement, I started riding without hands at all! I've yet to go out on the road, so not half as careless as it sounds.

Due to her impressive 81 year old status, I've started looking a bit into early 1930's get-up, but come across one problem. I now really want a cloche, I have one but it's in dire need of some TLC. I wants to knit one and thought I'd found the perfect pattern, but after finishing it, discovered I'd knitted a beanie! I'm too old to be a skateboarder, so it was soo unraveled and is now being knitted into a cardigan. Know of a suitable pattern?

Anyways, I'd best be off, work to do and all that.

Thank you once again, you really have helped

Queen Jennie of Carmarthen

(How fantastic does that sound?!)

eBaying Problems - Help?

Not my jolly self today, for which I can only apologise, I'm actually in need of your help...

A few weeks back I sold my 1956 Rudge bicycle, in used condition. Everything worked, the gears, brakes etc.

The buyer then emailed me to say it was damaged:

The forks are bent - No they're not, vintage bikes have forks which can appear bent, this is the style of them.

The handlebar stem is bent - No again, no more than you'd expect in a vintage bike.

The gear cable was creased and it wouldn't change gear, so he's thrown away the cable - Well, he can't even work out how to get the front wheel in, so wouldn't be able to ride it to see that the gears work!

The bolts for the front mudguard are missing - No, one set are attached to the mudguard, and the other set attached to the front forks.

He's sent quite a few unkind emails, trying to make out I don't have a clue and asking me for half of his money back for his time and effort!

I obtained advice to email him back reguarding his concerns, from a qualified bicycle mechanic - The seller thinks I'm making this up!

Then, to make my day worse, leaves me negative feedback! Now I have 99%, and I've always been proud of my 100% positive feedback.

I, as a seller, cannot leave negative feedback and I'm pretty sick of him. He doesn't understand vintage bikes, or the fact that I'm not at my computer 24/7 to answer his emails.

eBay are less than helpful for me as a seller by suggesting I should refund him, depite the fact that he's already started throwing parts away!

What do I do my dear readers? I know this isn't the worst thing in the world, but it is upsetting, and I hate people who email me in such a rude manor.

Advice?

Jennie xx

Liebster Blog Award

Another award, I can't say I'm suprised, I am wonderful... I couldn't resist saying that! No, really, Thank You Bruce, I'm honoured.

This is the Liebster Blog Award, for bloggers with less than 300 followers (I have 82 now!).

I must now pass this on to some fellow bloggers, all of whom are just as wonderful as myself! I've stopped emailing reciepients of awards as some people aren't too bothered about them and I hate to hassle, all the bloggers named above are readers of this blog, so if you see your name, do a little dance!


Rocket Originals
Cheese Straws & Unsweet Tea
Land Girl 1980
Bake Do and Mend
Miss B's Daydreams
Porcelina's World
Tickety Boo Tupney

Right then folks, I must get outside now and do some digging whilst keeping an eye out for another courier.
I'll be back tomorrow or Friday with some shockingly fantastic news... If everything goes to plan!

Speak soon my lovelies

Jennie xx

Spring

Hello my lovely followers, there are now 80 of you, but how many of you are reading this? Not to worry, I take mini breaks from blogs also, and then catch up a few posts down the line. I don't know why I'm waffling on, it seems to be a speciality of mine! Anyway, to the post...

I was gobsmacked (I love this word!) by the "little" present me Ma found for me over the weekend:

Yes, my very own display cabinet! Unfortunatly, one of the glass doors was smashed getting it into the car, so I've left it door-less and I'm pretty sure it doesn't look odd. Though I do intend on buying a replacement sheet at some point... 4 years down the line?
The glass doors originally had a similar decoration to the mirrored back, but the previous owner had managed to clean it all off! Ooops, I don't think it was intentional. She had also broken the original glass shelves when she'd bought it, so there are replacement shelves in now, one of which has a chip out of it! The poor cabinet!

I'm only keep my 50's/60's pieces in this one, and hoping to get one of those rounded Art Deco cabinets for my 1930's pieces... Anyone seen one cheap?

Oooh, I've finished the back for the 1934 Chevron Jumper, and now I'm on the front. I had to take a break after almost 5 inches of single rib, I was bored to tears! But no worry, I started again last night and almost completed the first row of chevrons - Yay!

I mentioned in my last post that I was getting my hair cut... I did it! I wanted to let it settle and regain it's natural curl before smothering it in chemicals, so I don't have a photo yet - I'm convinced I look like the fourth member of Hanson! mmmbop...

I was sure of other news before starting to write this, I just can't remember now. I'm sure my brain is having a Spring Clean, which will explain why it can't find anything!
I'm also having a huge Spring Clean, finally sorting out my many boxes to eBay, Boot Sale and Donate to charity. Do I really need 14 similar kitsch jam pots? (please say no!)

I'm currently waiting in for a courier to arrive... If he can hurry up a bit I might be able to get out and enjoy the clear blue skies and sunshine this afternoon... I want to get down the beach before the tourists find it.

I'd better be off, knitting to knit and people to wait for, plus, I will ramble even more if we don't say goodbye now!
Hopefully, I'll have a photo for you tomorrow of my nifty new hair

Ta ta

Jennie xx

Shrove Tuesday Bicycle Trouble Outifit Post

Good Morning All,

I realised last Thursday that I just post enough outfit pictures... Probably because I don't take many, nd the ones I do take are rejected because they were taken in the mirror and I'm pulling a "mug-shot" face! This is entirely down to my inability to get the self-timer to work.

On Thursday, after lunch, we took a walk over the back, a mile or so, to go and vote in the referendum. On the way back, some photos were taken, here's the best of an awful bunch!




Coat (modern) - Present from my Gran
Beret (Accessorize) - Boot-Sale
Elk Scarf - Hand knitted by me
30's/40's Leather Bag - Charity Shop
White Scottie Brooch - Hand made by me
40's zip-up bootees - eBay
Leather CC41 gloves - eBay

 I was also invited to a picnic on Llansteffan beach on Friday afternoon. We were terrier-ised by a little black dog who smelt sandwiches, after a scuffle, we started eating only to discover we were eating sand-wiches! Gritty!

Then, this weekend I cleaned up my bicycle... I bought her a few weeks back, but the wrong size was given, and she is far too big for me! So after a thorough clean and some photos, she's made her way onto eBay. If I can get my money back, I can buy another bike - The sun's becoming a common sight, and I can't even go out and cycle!


Rudge - Britain's Best Bicycle

 Although I didn't have a place on the Tweed Run, I did intend on riding 10 miles that day with a Tweed theme... I just need a smaller bike! If she was just two inches smaller, she'd be perfect for me - 1956 Rudge in deep red... bliss

I also listed my Dad's late 1940's (?) Raleigh, and it seems I'm getting the bug for listing on eBay again, which is a good thing, I've been living in clutter for too long now!

But enough about me, how are you on this fine Shrove Tuesday?

Jennie xx

St David's Day Knitting Parade

St David's Day is probably the best day of the year for me, I'm pretty sure it never rains and there is a good spread of daffodils on the roadside. I was going to try and get some daffodil photos, but it's rather nippy out, and I'm feeling lovely and lazy after lunch, so I'll show you some other things I've been up to...

I went to a boot-sale on Sunday, the first for me this year. It rained, it was gusty, it was dismal! Despite some lovely 1930's pieces at good prices, I only made one purchase, a pair of new (but not new) faux fur gloves made by Bryans Gloves, in my size, for £2.00 - Perfect, but why couldn't I have found these back in September?



Bryans Gloves, now mine!

 I'm on the move again, though I'm just going downstairs this time! Perfect excuse to sort through my wardrobe, well, I say wardrobe, that's full and everything else is in suitcases/boxes/on the back of chairs! This is all I managed to get into my teeny weeny wardrobe!



Large wardrobe required by young Lady with much attire

I've also been knitting, but at the expense of reading my new Vintage Life magazine and sewing! This is the jumper mentioned in my last post, I just mis-counted the stitches and lost my place in the pattern..Doh!
This is a 1934 Chevron patterned Jumper in daffodil (or lemon, if you prefer) and will have a chocolate brown neck tie. I'm sure I'll be mistaken for a Brownie!

I also have every intention of having me hair cut this week, it's now below my shoulders and I'm bored. I fancy a bob for the Summer, thoughts?

So I'll now leave you to enjoy the rest of your day, I hope the sun's shining for you

Jennie xx (I'm reverting to the previous spelling of me name!)