Story Donated By Amy Seaward

I have recently started the wooden toys collection above, and it is still quite small, but perfectly formed.The Russian dolls at the back, came from Prague and were incredibly cheap, the smallest one has inexplicably disappeared, but will hopefully return home one day.

The sailors came from Ashton-Under-Lyne flea market and were about 50p, I think their facial expressions are great, they don’t look very happy.

Unlike Mr and Mrs Tall, the two red toys who came from Leeds Thursday Market from the Faggy Lady Stall (so nicknamed by me and my friend, Sarah as they smoke all over everything) for 50p, I think. Mr Tall’s head keep falling off and I am forever sticking it back on with superglue.
Amy Seaward

Story Donated By Claire Anderson

I rescued these scales from the flea market in Shipley a couple of years ago. They cost 50p and I had to buy them cos I felt sorry for them. They now live on the top of my cupboards collecting dust.. However, they came in extremely useful a few months ago cos I used them, on several occasions, to weigh my little baby.

Being a second born, I didn’t get around to attending clinic for her regular weigh-in sessions, so whenever I was curious about how much my bundle of joy was growing, I popped her into the handy baby-sized tray, and bob’s your uncle.

They’re now back on top of the cupboards collecting dust.
Claire Anderson

Story Donated By:
HRH Self Appointed Lady Mayoress Of Armley

Recently on a trip to Poverty Aid, I happened upon the rather wonderful box of delights (pictured here). For a mere £1.00 I had bought trip aboard the memory train to childhood.

For me the 70’s were a dirge of orange, taupe, and brown, occaisionally enlivened by my attempts to wreck the kitchen. The constant background chuntering of Radio One DJs (Simon Bates, Jimmy Saville, Fluff Freeman) serenaded me as I cut my culinary teeth making pastry and biscuits and other starch laden goodies. Margueritte Pattens’ box of delights reminds me of the transition we went through in our house, when ‘continental food’ replaced goblin meat pies, and we threw parties with our neighbours where exotic Chinese, Italian and Indian dishes were created in the spirit of adventure not satisfaction.

The taste rarely mattered as these delights were accompanied by demijohns of homemade wine, which doubled as paint stripper. To this day these same themes are ever powerful, cheesy music, toxic drinks, cakes and biscuits, and breaking bread with the neighbours.

I have plans for these cards; think 70’s stylee Safari Suppers! Anyone care to join us?

PS – if you zoom in on the sausage rolls to the bottom the picture credit is the Lard Information Bureau (great name for a band if ever i heard one)

HRH Self Appointed Lady Mayoress Of Armley

Story Donated By Claire Anderson

Right, I’m very protective of my vintage shoe source, and I had to think long and hard about sharing this story…. I have the most amazing collection of footwear, mainly from the charity shops of Garforth and Shipley; in fact I am famous for my shoe collection at work, and probably wear a different pair every day – and the vintage, or second-hand if you like, are always the most coveted.

I love these shoes because they’re always so well looked after, and obviously someone has treasured them for years. I hope I can manage to look after them enough to pass them on to my daughter, cos they’re gorgeous…

If anyone who is a size five thinks about going vintage shoe hunting in Garforth or Shipley, just don’t – find your own patch… x
Claire Anderson

Story Donated By Jane Earnshaw

I found this chap whilst hurtling round charity shops in a big white van to buy furniture for one of the I Love West Leeds Festival events. We visited lots of charity shops across the city and I was supposed to be looking for bookshelves and sofas. Instead i ended up parting with a hard earned pound for a tapestry framed cat from Meanwood Charity Shop. I love him not only because he has been lovingly handmade but because he isn’t a pretty pin up kind of cat, but an overweight, probably bad tempered, ginger tabby. And his eyes almost fit with the background wallpaper which makes me think if you look too hard at him he could probably hypnotize you.
Jane Earnshaw.

Story Donated By Jo Dix

A very old breadboard bought at Julia’s Junk Shop in Bingley, West Yorkshire circa 1972. Been with me through thick and thin and wholemeal. Countless lunches,toast and supper have been prepared on this venerable board. It’s probably the antithesis of a clinically clean surface but we’ve all survived. By now it must have a flavour of its very own … a combination of tomatoes, peanut butter, onions, sardines, herbs and, of course , toast.

It’s also had outings to campsites and barbecues . Yes it’s really lived and that’s only the part I know about. As to its previous life…………
Jo Dix
PS Julia’s Junk shop was a true junk shop a glory hole of Edwardian treasure at knockdown prices, sadly no more.

Story Donated By Sarah Howells

As well as a passion for Puffin books I also adore Ladybird books, just opening one like What to Look for In Spring or Helping at Home whisks me back to childhood, not that I spent much time looking for things in spring and still struggle to identify trees and flowers, and avoided helping at home as much as possible. This Ladybird Book collection is my pride and joy, I even have a couple in Welsh, and my favourite of all is Ned the Lonely Donkey, who works hard at the seaside giving rides to children and in the end gets to live in a sanctuary with other friendly donkeys. Lucky Ned. I once even checked out on the internet how to date them. It’s easy when you know how. The most pristine are always Sunday School prizes e.g. the religious ones like Three Stories Jesus Told, received and never opened again.
Sarah Howells

Story Donated By Maisie

My brother’s best friend’s mother’s mother got this from her charity shop in Melbourne. It’s just right for my pink and purple bedroom and I’m so glad that it came to me. My room’s in the attic and I like to retreat there to have a bit of quiet time or to play with Joe or my friends.

I had my best friend Mabel over at the weekend and we played in my room for ages. It was a bit of a mess so I told my Mum that a big wind had blown in and blown everything everywhere.
Maisie

Story Donated By Lee Goater

Age Concern
Shipley
August 07

My good lady bagged us these beauties. They were like new. I used to wear trainers like these at school but in a slightly more RUN DMC style, this time I opted for the Michael’s J Fox look. I think that was on trend for this season anyway. They are serving me well and defo improve my moon walk. And I didn’t even get a veruca.
Lee Goater

Story Donated By Beate Rohle

I would like to introduce you to Matilde. Matilde is a flower-pot-duck, orange glazed pottery – quite useful if you like that sort of thing. She’s got proper eyes (like an old fashioned teddy bear) and lovely stripes.

My (then) best friend S. bought her at a flea market in Paris, back in 1994. We named her together and, for about a year, Matilde took a place of honour on the windowsill of the small flat we shared in Berlin.

I fell out with S. some time after Matilde and me moved to Leeds, and Matilde is getting rather dusty on a shelf in the kitchen – I could never part with my duck, though!

PS. Having written this, and having dusted off Matilde for the photograph, I think I might just find her a new place of honour!
Beate Rohle

Story Donated By Jane Zanzottera

Despite the fact that a friend of mine described this shirt as “the most revolting thing I have ever seen” it has been part of my wardrobe for the better part of 11 years. I bought it from a charity shop in Kings Heath, Birmingham (a charity shop Mecca, or it certainly was then) whilst immersed in the heady bliss of first love. The object of my affections was as obsessed by charity shops as I was and many a Saturday afternoon was spent trawling these hidden gems together.

I loved my shirt from the moment I set eyes on it and proudly wore it the very same evening where I went out for someone’s birthday. Embarrassingly, I cannot recall whose birthday it was, but it was the first time I had ever tasted Mexican food and I paired it with a pair of red trousers. The red trousers were too much I fear and after that, whenever I wore it, I wore it with black trousers or a black A line mini skirt.

Incidentally, my friend was forced to eat her words, weeks after they were uttered, when Vogue or Elle had a fashion shoot with a shirt of similar colours and fabric pattern on!
Jane Zanzottera

Story Donated By Amy Seaward

Here is my charity shop lady, ain’t she divine. I enjoy looking at her in all her soft focus glory, she was next to another lady in the RSPCA charity shop on Kirkgate, Leeds but she was far more beautiful. She came into my life in 2002 when I made my (then new) boyfriend carry her through the streets of Leeds, little did he know what he had let himself in for.

She wasn’t expensive (shame I know) I think £2.99 was all she set me back.
Amy Seaward

Story Donated By Nomie Parker

I bought this for a very good friend of mine after enjoying the pile of snoopy reading matter that graced her loo. I happily handed over my 50p to the lovely ladies in the Armley Community Charity shop [ now closed and sadly missed] and trotted home – congratulating myself on my purchase and feeling smug about being such a kind and thoughtful friend.

We’d just had our bathroom done with a rather dinky corner loo that lacked an ornament .So out with the snoopy mirror which fitted perfectly and has remained there ever since.

I have since admitted my selfishness and will swap it soon for a book.
Next time I will buy her something that is easier to photograph.
Nomie Parker

Story Donated By Tina Small

My favourite brooch is from the second hand jewellery stall at Shipley Market. I was with my friend Claire and told her I liked it so she sneaked back and bought it for my birthday.

Story Donated By Sarah Howells

A few years ago, to the delight of my son, I bought all new matching bed linen, a first for me in my whole life. However, my inner junk junkie was never far away and it just didn’t feel right. The knitters of Armley Helping Hands have eased my discomfort with their gorgeous squares blankets, picked up for £5 at I Heart West Leeds or Charming Armley Cake Competition.

The flowery pillow slips are from St Vincent de Paul (20p the pair, that’s 10p each!), the disgust/incomprehension of work colleagues when I return to the office with them makes it doubly worth it. The iron bedstead was found in the overgrown back garden of a house in France, brought to London and given to my sister, after 10 years she gave it to me to make way for Ikea bunk beds for the kids, her loss my definite gain. One piece was badly bent, but I happen to have a friend who is a blacksmith so problem solved. The rage/disappointment of my puritanical 16 year old bounces off me, I’m shielded by a forcefield created by my version of shabby chic.
Sarah Howells