Field of Dreams - The Midweek Car Boot Sale

According to Google today is Earth Day so what could be more appropriate than heading to a field in the gorgeous Staffordshire countryside and recycling our knackered old tat precious belongings?

It's been 4 years since we last sold at a car boot sale (HERE) and we'd forgotten how much fun it is. You simply pile your vehicle with unwanted stuff, arrive any time after 7am, hand over your £7 pitch fee and lay out your wares. Unlike a vintage fair you don't need to book in advance and you can sell anything, from unwanted household goods and clothes to food, tools, plants and building materials.

As soon as you park up you're inundated. Crowds will descend around the van, pulling boxes out and unpacking bags before you've even set foot outside.

Within 15 minutes of arriving we'd sold at least a third of our stock. Rolls of wallpaper, broken computer parts, half bottles of perfume and bath towels were gone in the blink of an eye. We even flogged our vacuum cleaner. Why are you taking that? Asked Jon When was the last time we used it? Said I.

My rail of vintage clothes went down well at £1 an item.

Having Gilbert is ace, you can brew fresh coffee and eat hot buttered toast while the other traders look on in envy. He's also a massive draw to our pitch, who doesn't love a vintage V Dub?

When I stopped being an employee and started working for myself it blew my mind to discover the secret society that is the midweek car boot sale. From retired people supplementing their pensions and antique dealers offloading their house clearance trash to traditional market traders & dodgy geezers with fake tobacco and counterfeit DVDs, all life is here.

Jon chatting to a neighbour, a builder by trade, selling off the contents of a derelict house he's just bought.

People always like to chat. Today we met a man who was in the same army squadron as a good friend of ours who lives in Goa. What are the chances, eh?

Wearing: Hawaiian maxi from Krista-licious, 1960s psychedelic scarf (a present from a friend), Vintage plastic earrings (car boot sale), perspex belt (Urban Outfitters via Liz), 1970s sunglasses (Moseley Vintage & retro Fair, 2014) 

Bare arms and vintage Hawaiian maxis in April, bring it on!

Rummaging through boxes of TV remote controls and phone chargers on the stall opposite kept the male customers occupied all morning. Jon treated himself to a pair of posh headphones for £2 - he's worryingly quiet now.

This dapper gent was doing a roaring trade.

The chip van is always the most popular stall.

Our mannequin got more than a few lecherous looks.

It would have been rude not to wander round the other stalls once the initial rush had subsided.

Did I buy? Oh yes!

Forget The Cat In The Hat. This cat on a hat must be the coolest vintage head wear I've ever owned. Both that and the groovy 1960s paisley sun hat fit my massive head a treat. The orange glass necklace was a gift from one of my favourite stallholders.

Also this handmade red crimplene maxi, 1960s sheepskin & leather coat and a rather fabulous Marion Donaldson hippy-tastic maxi.

A few vintage purchases, a wad of cash, a suntan and an empty garden shed. What's not to love about a car boot sale? We might have to go back and do another one this weekend.

See you soon!