Treasures Only Footsteps Away

I hope you had an amazing Christmas full of good food, good company and lots of lovelies. After a hectic day we have enjoyed the solitude of our home, preferring to stay indoors eating leftovers, reading, watching TV and playing games. Yesterday was the first day that I ventured out, as it is Kade's 10th birthday on Sunday and this year he wants a few surprises. We will have a little gathering on Sunday to mark the day and have his party once he is back to school.

Today we were called over by our next door neighbours who has been clearing out an estate to have a look at a few tools and the like (I really should not have worn a white t-shirt!). We came home with a few new (and very dirty) treasures that you can see below.



Green wooden toolbox, vintage tin megaphone, creamy bucket, leather saddle bag, pump, garden tools...





Bits and bobs....



Vintage chisels, door locks, old leather dog muzzle...



I grabbed this tin for my sister, be it a bit ratty...aren't the graphics cool...







My chisels and scissors in an old cup...



A closer looks at the smalls. Can you see the metal tag at the bottom? It is marked No 396...



and on the back it is marked with the Coat of Arms of Canberra, dated 30th June 1945...its an old dog tag and my favourite find!

I've masses to share with you but I will leave it until after the new year. The pizza oven has been built and is in full swing, we received our box that we posted from the UK, found treasures aplenty, its all happening.

Please drive safe over the holidays, we have already had one fatal accident up the Kings Highway from us on Christmas Eve and then another head-on yesterday....another good reason not to be on the roads.

Merry Christmas 2011

With Christmas just around the corner, I just wanted to wish you all a fabulous day. I have been busy making cobweb fairy floss this morning, in preparation for our Christmas lunch. We are hosting both families this year, so we are hoping for great weather, otherwise the walls of our little cottage will be bulging. So far it is looking to be a wet one.

I hope Santa brings you lots of nice presents, but more importantly that you get to spend time with your loved ones. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Safe and Happy Holiday!

Its beginnning to look a lot like Christmas......

Hope you are enjoying your week, boy it is going fast isn't it? I wanted to share a few shots around the house, my first Christmas post of the year. Are you all sorted yet??? Us, well no, but we will get there. Enjoy your week, and thanks for stopping by.

I will make sure that I visit you all tonight, we are off to watch India's school presentation this morning before a short day at work :) see you then, Tam x

The first Christmas Beetle of the Season

India and I found the first Christmas Beetle (Anoplognathus) this morning. They are named Christmas Beetles because the are abundant at Christmas time. There are 34 different types and this one is common in New South Wales where we live. Aren't they beautiful with the jewel green abdomen and iridescent heads. Christmas really is close now,

Wishing you all a festive, fruitful and fantastic week.

I was so excited I could hardly breathe!

The day started out pretty ordinary, we locked ourselves out of the house. It went something like this; the Mr went through the back door, stopping to admire his pizza oven (yay, its finally built, pictures soon) and I went the front way to look at my newly weeded garden, meeting at the car.

"Do you have the keys?" he said,
“No, don’t you?” I asked.
‘No!”
“God damn it we will have to break in!”

It was surprisingly easy….shhh don’t tell. We lifted India through a window that was not locked luckily. She was very excited and is going to tell the story for news on Wednesday.

Anyway, it turned out to be a blessing because as we were running late, I had to drop the Mr at work so I took a trip to the tip shop at lunchtime.

On my first round (only half way through the shop) I found the table below which I was excited about, a few picture frames, water colour painting, the small suitcase and bits and bobs which I paid for ($30) and took to the car. After returning the trolley I had a nosey out the back and a new trolley load had just arrived inside the door. Mostly full of rubbish, the handle of the bat* took my eye, and a little rummage later, I found the mirror!

At first I thought it was rubbish until I turned it over and gave it a second look; it had beautiful hand painted flowers and little butterflies and sweet shelves with old hinges. It is made from Papier-Mache that is lacquered , or Japanned, and is late Victorian.

I could not believe my eyes. I quickly went to pay. On the outside I was being all cool, calm and collected, while inside jumping with joy. What? This old thing? Its just a mirror. $10 later (purchase of mirror, bat and CD) I was on my way. I raced to the car, called the Mr straight away and said that I found my Christmas present and sent a photo through.

I listened to the CD, best of the 80's, on the drive back to work (2 ½ songs)…today could not have turned out to be a happier day!













* The bat is a Rich Rollins Little League baseball bat (Canada) that I need to investigate a little further, circa 1960's I think.

Sorry for the grainy photos, my camera needs charging so I used the phone, oh, and the mirror and table need a good clean. Thanks for stopping in, Tam x

YMCA finds and a pizza oven

We headed off for a quick whip around at the final YMCA sale of the year. While the kids and the Mr played in the park I managed to find a few bargains, even though it was already 2 hours into the sale.



Some chrissy decorations for the kids tree. Vintage tupperware jelly moulds, great for holding beads etc, in the studio.



English silver jug, bonbon dish and tiny trophy.



Super cool 1966 Batman and Robin melanine plate, glass knife rest, leather shoe shine kit, cake topper, and bugs in a car.



Repousse cooper plaque, Hail Mary prayer in original box and sweet cottage tapestry $1.



I could not pass up the hotdog cook book, even though it does not look very appetising, the Mr loves a good hotdog. Another Yates gardening book, I think we have ever edition, the cover on this one is great.



Snagged a vintage eiderdown, for $4! There was a grumble from the old man, something about how many we have and that I will have to sell some. Never!

After a huge downpour this morning, it has brightened up a bit. The Mr is building our pizza oven today, ready for xmas, lets hope the rain stays at bay.

Wishing you all a fabulous December and all the the festive season brings.

Sorry I have not been around much, the kids are too busy playing minecraft, I only get a look in every now and then!

Coloured Feather Lights

I searched high and low last year looking for battery operated lights for Christmas and I finally found some plastic flowers ones in Kmart. Today while we were out and about we found these colour feather lights, 3.9 metres in length and battery operated for $9.99 at Go-Lo. I only bought one string but they are so pretty I might get some more tomorrow.





Christmas is in the air...its already getting late but it is way too hot to sleep. The kids are watching their first Christmas movie of the season, Disney's Prep and Landing...and the Mr is on a boys night out for a friend who is moving to Queensland next week. No doubt he will come home with ripped jeans. I kid you not he normally does! Somehow it always involves climbing over barbed wire fences or picking up a wig off the ground while riding a mini bike...they never grow up do they?

Have you started decorating for Christmas yet???