A Lucky Pick Up - Inside A Vintage 1980s Sad Sam Honey Pyjama Case

There are some things that just totally typify the 1980s for me - one of them is the pyjamas case. No single bed was complete without one. Isn't it sad - do they even make them anymore? I had a plush mouse with a huge skirt (!) to look after my pyjamas in the 1980s. Haha

I was doing my usual stock hunt the other weekend at a house clearance when I happened upon a huge skip bag full of plush. Nothing exciting until I found Sad Sam's Girlfriend Honey - she's huge! She felt solid, so I had a quick peek inside the zip and spotted some real gems. I paid and took her home for a good wash.

The contents were better than I was expecting - vintage 1980s tee shirts. Two of them Snoopy. My favourite!

Have you ever found anything exciting in thrifted items? I've found some great stuff...hmm? Maybe another blog post there :-)

My Best Ever Pica Pica Vintage Hauls Part 3 - The 1980s Disney Collector

This was my most recent eye popping find. Last year I happened upon a house clearance sale disposing of a whole lifetime of collecting. The other dealers were most interested in the huge piles of Christmas collectibles and handbags, but for me it was the Disney. The family had obviously been huge fans and were regular visitors of all the American theme parks during the 1980s and early 1990s but what was most exciting for me was the condition. Everything was in it's original carrier bags and there were multiples of everything - not just one keyring but 20 all in a carrier bag...not just one coin purse, but 12 in a carrier bag. Like I said, EYE POPPING. Some of the best items were from this great print range by Australian artist Ken Done.

I bought these spoons because I loved them - I have a pot full. I can't find anything out about them. are they simply teaspoons from the cafes and the collector saved them? I'd love to know

After again making a huge pile of awesomeness came the most exciting news - there was more! I'd been pleasant with the sellers and struck up a conversation. It turned out it had been a huge house - they had another two lorry loads at least from the same collection. Over the next two weeks I proceeded to get two more car loads of stock from them. I love it with my job that I never really know what I'm going to find next. I'm going to put that original 1985 carrier bag in a frame to remember just how great a find this collection was.

My Best Ever Pica Pica Vintage Hauls Part 2 - The G1 My Little Pony Motherlode

Here we are for part 2 of my best ever hauls of stock for Pica Pica Vintage. This time I was at a carboot sale outside my local area. I'm terrible - I can't drive past a jumble sale, car boot sale or charity shop without stopping for a little peep. I was visiting my Mum in Sussex in 2011. I was already quite satisfied with my finds so far at the sale until I caught a glimpse of all those pony tails all jumbled up in a box together. I abandoned my route up and down the rows and ran over worried that someone else might have spotted what I'd seen. Without digging in the box too deeply, I asked the price for the whole lot. I could have cried. They were all mine. I'd just bought nearly 200 vintage My Little Ponies.

They were all in good condition, and luckily only in need of a little TLC to get them ready for my customers. I really wish I'd taken pictures of them all lined up drying in the garden in the sunshine. It was of my most lucarative collections I've ever bought as there were some real gems including rare accessories and Europe and UK exclusive ponies. All of my collectors were really pleased. By the time I'd finished sorting everything out I even found some ponies were complete with all their original accesories. I still sometimes dream about that find.

Do you have something missing from your collection? Just send us an email vic(at)picapicavintage.com and we'll do our best to help!

My Best Ever Pica Pica Vintage Hauls Part 1 - MEGO Dolls & Mint In Box Fisher Price Toys

I've got a great nose for a bargain and I've really tried to fine tune my eye to spot the best vintage toys for my customers. I've been running Pica Pica Vintage for 6 years now (with two bouts of maternity leave thrown in for good measure) but I've actually been thrifting ever since I can remember (sheesh - over 25 years?!) I was THAT contrary child who didn't like 1980s neon pink Barbie dolls. I spent my childhood searching out 1960s and 1970s Sindy dolls as i preferred their more realistic clothes and furniture. They had brunette hair that was more like my own. Maybe this was where my love affair with vintage began?

Anyway, here is part 1 of some of my all time favourite finds of the past 6 years. Isn't it a bummer we only think to take more pictures now? I really wish I'd have had the thought to take pictures at the time.

Ones early morning I was feeling down heartened to have only found some 1980s McDonalds toys - still good for my inventory, but nothing to get too over excited about. Suddenly I spotted the corner of a box. Straight away it was the bright blue and red of vintage Fisher Price. Soon I amassed a huge pile including the Fisher Price record player mint in box along with several other sets including the airport which I was really pleased with. I had a word with the stall holder and asked if it was ok to start a pile. I always find this polite and also showing that kind of courtesy will show you're a serious buyer and could even mean you get first dibs on things that haven't been unpacked yet. This haul made me take a trip to the cash point for more money and three trips back to the car with a trolley of toys. This collection turned out to all date from the 1970s / 1980s and had been looked after perfectly with most things never having been removed from their boxes.

The final cherry on the cake was finding a carrier bags full of 1970s poseable MEGO figures. I carefully took them all home to research. Unexpectadly, in my bag of familiar Marvel characters was the ultra rare Zorro figure. No listings on eBay existed with him in his full outfit including his cape. I was delighted to sell him to a London collector for over £100. If only he'd had his sword. The thing is, everything owned by this collector was so well looked after it probably was there and I missed it. One of the things I love most about my job is that I'm always learning. I'll know what his sword looks like for next time